(2026) npj Clean Water_Perfluoroalkyl chain-length-dependent environmental fate and treatment outcomes of PFAS in water

Lee Y.-J.; Moon G.; Cha H.; Lee J.; Kwon E.E.

(Nature Research) npj Clean Water ISSN: 20597037 Vol.9 Issue.1 Article No.35 DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00568-5

This review elucidates physicochemical distinctions between short- and long-chain PFAS, including hydrophobicity, molecular volume, and C–F bond dissociation energy, and discusses their implications for environmental fate. Building on this framework, recent comparative studies examining chain-length-dependent PFAS removal efficiency and the associated mechanisms across non-destructive treatment processes were consolidated. In addition, this review clarifies the treatment-specific PFAS responses and mechanistic pathways involving defluorination and carbon-backbone cleavage during destructive processes. © The Author(s) 2026.

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grants funded by the Korean Government (MSIT) (Grant No. RS-2023- NR077231).