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Pollutant degradation

Structure-dependent reductive defluorination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by hydrated electrons

Nature Water volume 3, pages 638–639 (2025)Cite this article

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The basic theoretical framework for the reductive defluorination of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances by hydrated electrons is obscure. Now, an electron-transfer-limiting mechanism based on the Marcus theory reveals the structure-dependent reactivity of these substances with hydrated electrons.

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Fig. 1: The two-step reductive defluorination process of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by hydrated electrons (eaq−).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Green Resource Recycling, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China

    Zhanghao Chen & Cheng Gu

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  1. Zhanghao Chen
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  2. Cheng Gu
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Correspondence to Cheng Gu.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Chen, Z., Gu, C. Structure-dependent reductive defluorination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by hydrated electrons. Nat Water 3, 638–639 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-025-00456-1

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