A research team led by Yujie Men, Associate Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and ETOX faculty member, has discovered a species of Acetobacterium bacteria that can degrade unsaturated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS have strong carbon-fluorine bonds that are so resistant to degradation that they are considered "forever chemicals". In addition to enabling the break down of unsaturated PFAS, Men and colleagues have identified the specific enzymes involved in the degradation pathways which should allow these and other bacteria to be engineered to also degrade saturated PFAS. Men's work was recently published in the journal Science Advances and highlighted in UC Riverside News. Our congratulations to Yujie and her team for this important advance. [Image above is from the UCR News article.]
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