Scientists from the laboratories of Rajib Saha and Nirupam Aich have made a groundbreaking discovery involving a common photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, and its interaction with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a notoriously resistant member of the PFAS family. Their findings, published in Environmental Science: Advances, reveal that this bacterium can absorb PFOA into its cell membrane, a behavior that evolves over time.
This discovery marks an early step toward harnessing natural microbes to potentially mitigate PFAS pollution, offering a promising avenue for efforts aimed at protecting water quality and public health.
Early Experiments Reveal Promise and Limitations
During controlled laboratory experiments, researchers observed that R. palustris could remove approximately 44% of PFOA from its environment within 20 days. However, much of the absorbed chemical eventually returned to the surroundings, likely due to the breakdown of the bacterial cells. This highlights both the potential and the challenges of using living microorganisms to capture or transform PFAS.
“While R. palustris didn’t completely degrade the chemical, our findings suggest a stepwise mechanism where the bacterium may initially trap PFOA in its membranes,” said Saha, Richard L. and Carol S. McNeel Associate Professor. “This gives us a foundation to explore future genetic or systems biology interventions that could improve retention or even enable biotransformation.”
Collaborative Expertise Strengthens the Research
The research benefited from the specialized PFAS detection capabilities of the Aich Lab, which enabled the team to monitor PFOA levels with precision. Concurrently, Saha’s group conducted biological experiments to assess the bacterium’s response to varying PFAS concentrations.
“This kind of collaboration is exactly what’s needed to address complex environmental challenges,” said Aich, Richard L. McNeel Associate Professor. “By bringing together microbiology, chemical engineering, and environmental analytical science, we’re gaining a more complete picture of how to tackle PFAS pollution with biological tools.”
Toward Scalable Microbial Approaches for PFAS Cleanup
PFAS compounds are a global concern due to their persistence in soil and water. Current treatment methods are often costly and energy-intensive. Microbial strategies could offer a more adaptable and resource-efficient solution, although significant scientific advancements are still required.
The findings from this study point in that direction, and the research teams are already planning further studies focused on microbial engineering and synthetic biology to enhance degradation capabilities in the future.
Funding and Access to Findings
This collaborative research was funded by the Layman Award and the Nebraska Collaboration Initiative Grant awarded to Aich and Saha. The study’s co-first authors are doctoral candidates Mark Kathol from the Saha Lab and Anika Azme from the Aich Lab.
The full study is accessible open-access through the Royal Society of Chemistry, providing a valuable resource for ongoing and future research in this critical area.
