New hybrid ‘SonoBio’ technology aims to tackle ‘forever chemicals’ in the environment

'Forever chemicals' are a class of extremely persistent synthetic chemicals that, even at low levels, may increase cancer risk and cause hormonal disruption and developmental abnormalities.

The Surrey research team has been awarded £947,000 from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to conduct a first-of-its-kind pilot that will use ultrasound technology in combination with biodegradation to break down per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – or ‘forever chemicals’ – which are commonly found in products like pizza boxes, dental floss, and cookware.

Their novel SonoBio hybrid technology combines high-frequency ultrasound with the activity of microorganisms to treat PFAS and turn them into relatively harmless carbon dioxide and fluoride.  

“These chemicals are everywhere, found in nearly every person and countless everyday products. They're incredibly tough to break down, which is why they stick around in our bodies and the environment for decades,” Dr Madeleine Bussemaker, senior lecturer in Chemical Engineering at Surrey University, said in a statement.