The interesting part: "It annihilates the pollutants in a device that can reach high pressure and temperature — hitting 570 degrees Fahrenheit. To that they add lye — an ingredient in soap — to create a caustic environment. The conditions dismantle the PFAS, breaking off the compound at its head, chopping up its spine of carbon molecules, and lopping off the fluoride molecules that run along the backbone.

The free fluoride then combines with calcium or sodium to make more benign compounds that are the same as those used for fluoridating water or as a toothpaste ingredient. Any carbon dioxide produced in the process is captured as a solid carbonate.

Testing shows that more than 99% of the PFAS are destroyed in treated water, Sharp said.

And Aquagga’s solution has advantages over other systems, he added, starting with its relatively compact size. The startup’s technology can destroy hard to eradicate short-chain PFAS; it requires a lower temperature and pressure; and it can run continuously rather than in batches, which helps manage the volume of waste and makes automation easier."