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What are PFAS?

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances - commonly called PFAS - are a group of over 15,000 synthetic chemicals. 

They're commonly found in a range of consumer, industrial, and commercial products; from food packaging to textiles and building materials. They are non-stick, heat-resistant, water- and stain-repellent and very chemically stable.

The properties that make PFAS useful also mean they don't break down in the environment. Instead, they can leach into soils and water, travel long distances and accumulate in our ecosystems, harming human and animal health.

Our research is focused on:

  • Enhancing capabilities and collaborating with partners to enhance and speed up PFAS detection.
  • Measuring and monitoring PFAS and their impacts on the environment, including some animals.
  • Developing ways to mitigate and destroy PFAS for good, including through nature-based solutions.

Detecting, monitoring and remediating PFAS

Global efforts are underway to understand and treat PFAS-contaminated environments. 

Our science helps regulatory agencies in Australia and around the world to understand the impacts of PFAS, as well as transport and remediation options.

We provide evidence-based research on detecting, measuring, and monitoring PFAS and their impacts on the environment, including some animals. We do not study long-term impacts of PFAS on human health.

We are actively investigating several treatment technologies and practices for PFAS, including thermal decomposition, bioremediation, and biomass absorption.

CSIRO is working collaboratively with government, industry, land and water management bodies, universities as well as communities to help address PFAS concerns. We are exploring and applying the latest technologies and offer specialist skills to our collaborators.

Expanding our capabilities to tackle PFAS

We are deploying the latest technology and innovation to manage problematic contaminants. 

The Ion Cyclotron Resonance (ICR) facility is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. This pioneering technology is focused on environmental research and driving unprecedented capabilities in chemical analysis.

The ICR facility houses a powerful analytical technology that produces the equivalent of a detailed chemical fingerprint, which can be used across a range of sectors to analyse complex chemistry.

It can identify many thousands of individual chemicals in a complex mixture, such as crude oil, natural organic matter, wastewater, or PFAS. This technology can detect chemicals that would otherwise go unseen, informing environmental management.

Latest PFAS news