A bold new effort to address one of Minnesota’s most persistent water challenges is now underway. Thanks to support from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), Freshwater is partnering with Bay West and the University of Minnesota on a 3-year project to develop and test innovative, biofilm-based technologies to destroy PFAS – often called “forever chemicals” – in contaminated groundwater.
PFAS are chemicals widely used in products like firefighting foam, non-stick coatings and waterproof materials. Their strong chemical bonds make them extremely resistant to breakdown, and they’ve been detected in water supplies across Minnesota, posing risks to human and environmental health.
Most existing cleanup approaches focus on capturing and concentrating PFAS after groundwater is pumped to the surface, an approach that is costly, energy-intensive and difficult to scale. This project takes a different path. By harnessing the power of naturally occurring microbial biofilms, the team aims to demonstrate a more sustainable, in-place solution that can break down PFAS in the ground itself.
Over the coming years, we’ll be sharing updates and lessons learned as this work progresses. This project represents an important step toward long-term, science-based solutions to protect Minnesota’s water.