Harnessing Fluorine Chemistry: Strategies for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Removal and Enrichment

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous, recalcitrant, bioaccumulative, and toxic. Effective concentration technologies are essential for remediating these compounds, a major focus of environmental science and engineering today. This review provides a comprehensive overview of PFAS, from fundamental chemistry to current research, encompassing fluorine chemistry, PFAS synthesis, and their applications. The review specifically thoroughly examines how fluorine chemistry can be utilized to enhance PFAS removal and enrichment, highlighting examples of aromatic/direct fluorination and aliphatic per- and polyfluorination, where the latter induces the fluorous effect. A comprehensive list of reactions used to design or modify PFAS sorbents is summarized, serving as a resource for ongoing research. Finally, insights are offered into how fluorine chemistry can be studied and employed to further improve PFAS characterization and management.