Unlocking the Catalytic Potential of PFAS: Upcycling Forever Chemicals Into Effective Catalysts

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging global pollutants that threaten aquatic environments and human health. Here, we propose a novel paradigm converting PFAS-containing wastewater into efficient catalysts, unlocking the catalytic potential of these "forever chemicals". As the first example of this paradigm, PFAS-containing wastewater was transformed into F-containing biomass (here shrimp shells)-derived catalysts, achieving PFAS removal efficiency exceeding 99.9%. The catalyst exhibited outstanding performance in PET recycling at a low catalyst loading (2.5 wt%), efficiently promoting methanolysis and hydrolysis to yield the corresponding monomers in near-quantitative yields, surpassing commercial carbon and biochar catalysts. This performance arises from the combined presence of electron‑deficient carbon sites generated by fluorine species and nitrogen vacancies, both of which contribute to the activation of ester bonds. The catalyst also showed broad applicability and stability across 23 real-world plastic wastes, including mixed PET and additive-containing plastics. Moreover, PFAS incorporation into metal oxides, supported metals, and porous carbons was demonstrated, laying the groundwork for diverse PFAS-derived catalytic applications. This work reconceptualizes PFAS as a resource, opening new avenues for sustainable valorization and functional catalyst development.