Japanese university finds river bacteria that remove "forever chemicals"

TOKYO - A research team has found that bacterial strains in river sediments contaminated with so-called forever chemicals can remove the harmful substances, according to a Japanese university that led the study.

The finding offers hope for tackling per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are difficult to break down because their carbon-fluorine bonds are among the strongest chemical bonds. PFAS have become a global environmental and health issue in recent years, accumulating in water, soil and wildlife.