Advances in electrochemical technologies for PFAS destruction.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent, bioaccumulative man-made chemicals with significant environmental and health risks.
• Conventional methods concentrate PFAS but do not destroy them, necessitating advanced treatment technologies.
• The exceptional stability of the C-F bond in PFAS presents a major challenge for degradation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review electrochemical technologies for complete PFAS degradation.
• To examine degradation mechanisms, influencing factors, and computational approaches (DFT, MD).
• To identify strategies for overcoming practical application bottlenecks and advancing PFAS remediation.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of electrochemical PFAS degradation (oxidation, reduction, combined processes).
• Analysis of density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) in elucidating C-F bond activation.
• Exploration of microenvironmental regulation, bifunctional materials, and AI-driven high-throughput screening.

Main Results:

• Electrochemical technology shows significant potential for complete PFAS destruction under mild conditions.
• DFT and MD calculations are crucial for understanding interfacial behaviors and bond cleavage mechanisms.
• Mass transfer limitations and incomplete defluorination are key challenges in practical applications.

Conclusions:

• Microenvironmental regulation and bifunctional materials are promising for *in situ* deep mineralization of PFAS.
• AI-enabled screening can accelerate the development of advanced electrode materials for PFAS remediation.
• This review provides a framework for PFAS destruction strategies and the design of novel environmental materials.