破解环保难题：科学家如何利用先进技术销毁“永久化学物质”PFAS
正文翻译
374Water can purge PFAS from water and sludge. （374Water公司能够清除水和污泥中的PFAS）
"There's a lot of destruction that needs to be done," sums up Parker Bovée of Cleantech Group, a research and consulting firm.
“我们需要大量销毁它们，” 研究咨询公司“清洁技术集团”的帕克·博维总结道。
He is referring to PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), also known as "forever chemicals".
他说的是全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS），也被称为“永久化学物质”。
These man-made chemicals can be found in items such as waterproof clothing, non-stick pans, lipsticks and food packaging.
这些人造化学物质存在于防水服、不粘锅、口红、食品包装等物品中。
They are used for their grease and water repellence, but do not degrade quickly and have been lixed to health issues such as higher risks of certain cancers and reproductive problems.
它们的用途是防油防水，但不易降解，并且与某些高发风险的癌症和生殖系统疾病相关。
The extraordinarily strong carbon-fluorine bonds they contain gives them the ability to persist for decades or even centuries in nature.
它们含有极其牢固的碳-氟键，使其得以在自然界中留存数十年乃至上百年。
PFAS can be detected and removed from water and soil and then concentrated into smaller volumes of high strength waste.
水和土壤中的PFAS能够被检测和清除，并浓缩成小体积的高强度废弃物。
But what to do with that waste?
但问题是如何处理这些废弃物？
Currently, concentrated PFAS waste is either put in long-term storage which is expensive, or incinerated (often incompletely, leading to toxic emissions), or sent to landfills for hazardous waste.
目前，浓缩后的 PFAS 废弃物要么被长期储存（但费用高昂），要么被焚烧（通常不彻底，且排放物有毒），要么被送往危险废物填埋场。
But now clean-tech companies are bringing techniques to market that can destroy them.
但是现在，多家清洁技术公司向市场推出了PFAS销毁技术。
These are being tested in small-scale pilot projects with potential customers including some industrial manufacturers, municipal wastewater treatment plants and even the US military.
这些技术正在小规模的试点项目中接受测试，潜在客户包括工业制造商、市政污水处理厂，甚至美国军方。
There's a "large and growing" market opportunity for PFAS destruction companies notes Mr Bovée.
PFAS销毁公司迎来规模可观、增长强劲的市场机遇，博维先生说道。
While it is mostly currently centred in the US, others are dipping their toes, he says.
尽管目前市场主要集中在美国，但其他国家也在小试牛刀，他说道。
In the UK, funding for water companies to look into PFAS destruction has been provided by water regulator Ofwat, with Severn Trent Water leading a project to examine the potential technologies and suppliers.
英国水务监管局（Ofwat）已经为水务公司提供资金，用于研究PFAS销毁技术，其中赛文特伦特水务公司（Severn Trent）主导的一个项目，旨在评估相关技术和供应商的潜力。
One factor driving the market forward in the US is legal risk. Thousands of lawsuits claiming PFAS-related contamination and harm have been filed with some large chemical manufacturers, notably 3M, having already paid out billions in class-action settlements.
美国市场的一个驱动因素是法律风险。涉及 PFAS污染和危害的诉讼已达数千起，某些化工巨头（尤其是 3M公司）已支付数十亿美元的集体诉讼和解金。
Regulation is also beginning to tighten worldwide.
全球范围内的监管也开始收紧了。
Legal limits for two PFAS in drinking water are now scheduled to take effect in the US in 2031.
目前，美国针对饮用水中两种PFAS的法定限值计划于 2031 年生效。
PFAS remains a bipartisan issue, says Mr Bovée, and many expect that future US regulation will expand beyond drinking water to cover industrial discharge and other sources.
博维先生表示，PFAS仍是一个两党共识议题，许多人预测美国的监管范围将从饮用水扩大到工业排放等其他源头。
The EU also has legal limits for PFAS in drinking water, which member states must begin enforcing from next year.
欧盟对饮用水中的 PFAS 也设定了法定限值，各成员国必须从明年开始执行。
Axine's system is already in use at an auto parts company. （Axine公司的设备已在一家汽车零部件公司投入使用）
There are a variety of technologies for destroying PFAS – each with their own advantages and limitations.
目前已出现多种PFAS销毁技术——各有各的优势和局限性。
According to Mr Bovée, one technology that is almost commercially ready is electrochemical oxidation (EO) technology.
据博维先生介绍，有一种技术几乎已具备商业化条件：电化学氧化技术。
Electrodes are placed in water contaminated by PFAS and a current is passed through, resulting in the chemicals' breakdown.
将电极放置在被 PFAS 污染的水中，通过电流使其分解。
While energy intensive, it doesn't require high temperature or pressure, and is easy to operate and integrate into existing treatment systems for concentrating PFAS, says Mark Ralph, CEO of Canadian-based start-up Axine Water Technologies.
该技术能耗较高，但不需要高温或高压，且操作简便，易于集成到现有的PFAS 浓缩处理系统中，加拿大初创公司 Axine Water Technologies 的首席执行官马克·拉尔夫说道。
Last year, following a successful pilot project, it sold its first commercial-scale unit to a Michigan-based producer of automotive components. It is now up and running and the customer is planning to purchase additional systems for other sites.
去年，该公司在成功完成一个试点项目后，向美国密歇根州的一家汽车零部件生产商售出了第一套商业规模的设备。该设备现已投入运行，客户准备为其他工厂采购更多的设备。
A waste water facility in Orlando is testing 374Water's treatment system. （奥兰多的一家污水处理厂正在测试 374Water公司的处理系统）
Another technology not far behind is Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO).
与之相媲美的是超临界水氧化技术。
It relies on heating and pressurising water to such a high degree that it enters a new state of matter: a so-called supercritical state. When the PFAS waste stream is introduced, it breaks the carbon-fluorine bonds.
技术原理是将水加热加压至极高程度，使其进入新的物质形态——超临界状态。当引入PFAS废弃物流时，能够破坏其碳-氟键。
One advantage is that it can process both solid and liquid PFAS waste, says Chris Gannon, CEO of North Carolina-based 374Water.
该技术的一个优势是能够处理固态和液态PFAS，美国北卡罗来纳州的374Water 公司的首席执行官克里斯·甘农说道。
He says his technology can even destroy PFAS in plastics if they are ground up.
他说在塑料被粉碎后，这项技术甚至能够销毁塑料中的PFAS。
It can be expensive to buy and maintain – the process is so intense it requires a complex reactor and regular cleaning. But it can be more cost effective if the PFAS is first concentrated before it enters the process.
设备的购买和维护成本很高——该工艺十分苛刻，需要复杂的反应器和定期清洗。但在PFAS进入工艺之前，如果先对其进行浓缩处理，成本效益会更高。
Currently the City of Orlando in Florida is testing 374Water's technology at its largest wastewater treatment plant.
目前，佛罗里达州的奥兰多市正在最大的污水处理厂测试374Water公司的这项技术。
The City is trying to get ahead of the curve, explains Alan Oyler, its special projects manager for public works.
我市正在努力抢占先机，奥兰多市的公共工程专项项目经理艾伦·奥耶尔说道。
Levels of PFAS in sewage sludge aren't currently regulated, but he expects them to be in the future.
目前，污水污泥中的PFAS含量尚未受到监管，但他预计未来会受到监管。
So far, Mr Oyler is pleased with the destruction capability he has seen, but is also waiting to see how reliable the system is.
目前，奥耶尔先生对该设备的销毁能力感到满意，但可靠性仍有待于观察。
The scale of 374Water's current technology is small: it can handle just a fraction of the tonnes of wet sludge the facility produces daily.
374Water公司当前的技术处理规模较小——不足以处理污水处理厂每日产生的巨量湿污泥。
But the company is in the process of scaling up, and Mr Oyler imagines in a few years it will be able to handle all the facility's material "ready for when the regulations require".
但公司正在扩大产能，奥耶尔先生预计，几年后公司将能够处理污水处理厂的所有废弃物，“从而为法规未来提出的要求做好准备”。
Other technologies on their way to being commercially ready include hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT), which uses high temperature, high pressure, and an alkaline chemical to destroy PFAS; and plasma-based technology, which involves making an ionized gas (called a plasma) to attack and degrade the PFAS molecules.
即将具备商业化条件的其他技术包括：水热碱处理技术——利用高温、高压、碱性化学物质来销毁PFAS；等离子体技术——利用电离气体（称为等离子体）来破坏和降解 PFAS 分子。
Aquagga destroyed PFAS in a fire-fighting foam mixture. （Aquagga公司销毁了灭火泡沫混合液中含有的PFAS）
Yet there is one potential issue with the technologies now coming through, says Jay Meegoda, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology: nasty PFAS degradation byproducts.
然而，当前涌现的这些技术存在一个隐患——降解PFAS会生成有毒的副产物，新泽西理工学院土木与环境工程学教授杰伊·米戈达说道。
For example, in the case of EO, highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride vapor. Each needs a "complete study" accounting for all their inputs and outputs, he says.
例如，电化学氧化技术会产生强腐蚀性的氟化氢蒸汽。我们需要对每一项技术所有的投入物和产出物进行“全面研究”。
The companies have claimed they either don't produce PFAS degradation products or deal with them adequately.
这些公司声称，他们在销毁PFAS过程中不产生降解产物，或者对降解产物进行妥善处理。
One important partner for many of the PFAS destruction companies in testing their technologies in the real world has been the US Department of Defence (DOD).
对于许多PFAS销毁技术企业而言，美国国防部是他们开展实地技术试验的重要合作伙伴。
PFAS contamination at US military sites is a big, below-the-radar problem. It stems particularly from the use of older formulations of firefighting foam, used for example during training exercises or emergencies, but other routes too such as the cleaning of military equipment.
在美国军事场所，PFAS污染是一个鲜为人知的严重问题。主要来源是早期配方的灭火泡沫，例如他们会在训练演习或紧急情况下使用，此外还有装备清洗等其他来源。
More than 700 sites are known or suspected to be contaminated, posing a threat to surrounding communities. A judge recently cleared the way for PFAS contamination and harm lawsuits against the military to proceed.
700多处军事场所已被确认或疑似受到污染，对周边社区构成了威胁。最近，一名法官为针对军方造成PFAS污染与危害的诉讼扫清了法律障碍，使这些案件得以继续审理。
Clean up efforts are where the destruction companies could come in, and projects have been undertaken or are under way at various sites to assess the performance and cost effectiveness of many of their solutions.
PFAS销毁技术企业的任务就是清除它们，现在多处军事场所已启动或正在推进各类项目，旨在评估多种技术方案的处理效能与成本效益。
One start-up, Aquagga, which specialises in HALT technology, recently completed a demonstration project for the DOD which involved destroying a firefighting foam mixture amongst other concentrated PFAS-containing liquids.
初创公司Aquagga专攻水热碱处理技术（HALT），近日为美国国防部完成了一个示范项目，成功销毁了含PFAS的浓缩液体，包括灭火泡沫混合液。
Immense volumes of the foam are currently stockpiled in all sorts of places, not just at military sites.
目前不仅军事场所，各类其他场所也储存着巨量的灭火泡沫。
Like others, Aquagga sees a big opportunity over the next few years for both destroying the foam and remediating the environmental damage associated with its use.
与其他企业一样，Aquagga公司预见到未来几年的巨大商机：销毁灭火泡沫，治理因其应用而造成的环境破坏。
And outside the military, there's a tantalizing new PFAS waste stream on the horizon. The US is actively expanding domestic computer chip manufacturing – a process that uses PFAS in massive amounts. "We can destroy that," says Mr Gannon, of 374Water.
除了军事领域，一条新的PFAS废弃物流即将形成，前景十分诱人。美国正在积极扩大国内的计算机芯片制造业，生产过程中使用大量的PFAS。“我们能够销毁它们，” 374Water 公司的甘农先生说道。
374Water can purge PFAS from water and sludge. （374Water公司能够清除水和污泥中的PFAS）"There's a lot of destruction that needs to be done," sums up Parker Bovée of Cleantech Group, a research and consulting firm.
“我们需要大量销毁它们，” 研究咨询公司“清洁技术集团”的帕克·博维总结道。
He is referring to PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), also known as "forever chemicals".
他说的是全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS），也被称为“永久化学物质”。
These man-made chemicals can be found in items such as waterproof clothing, non-stick pans, lipsticks and food packaging.
这些人造化学物质存在于防水服、不粘锅、口红、食品包装等物品中。
They are used for their grease and water repellence, but do not degrade quickly and have been lixed to health issues such as higher risks of certain cancers and reproductive problems.
它们的用途是防油防水，但不易降解，并且与某些高发风险的癌症和生殖系统疾病相关。
The extraordinarily strong carbon-fluorine bonds they contain gives them the ability to persist for decades or even centuries in nature.
它们含有极其牢固的碳-氟键，使其得以在自然界中留存数十年乃至上百年。
PFAS can be detected and removed from water and soil and then concentrated into smaller volumes of high strength waste.
水和土壤中的PFAS能够被检测和清除，并浓缩成小体积的高强度废弃物。
But what to do with that waste?
但问题是如何处理这些废弃物？
Currently, concentrated PFAS waste is either put in long-term storage which is expensive, or incinerated (often incompletely, leading to toxic emissions), or sent to landfills for hazardous waste.
目前，浓缩后的 PFAS 废弃物要么被长期储存（但费用高昂），要么被焚烧（通常不彻底，且排放物有毒），要么被送往危险废物填埋场。
But now clean-tech companies are bringing techniques to market that can destroy them.
但是现在，多家清洁技术公司向市场推出了PFAS销毁技术。
These are being tested in small-scale pilot projects with potential customers including some industrial manufacturers, municipal wastewater treatment plants and even the US military.
这些技术正在小规模的试点项目中接受测试，潜在客户包括工业制造商、市政污水处理厂，甚至美国军方。
There's a "large and growing" market opportunity for PFAS destruction companies notes Mr Bovée.
PFAS销毁公司迎来规模可观、增长强劲的市场机遇，博维先生说道。
While it is mostly currently centred in the US, others are dipping their toes, he says.
尽管目前市场主要集中在美国，但其他国家也在小试牛刀，他说道。
In the UK, funding for water companies to look into PFAS destruction has been provided by water regulator Ofwat, with Severn Trent Water leading a project to examine the potential technologies and suppliers.
英国水务监管局（Ofwat）已经为水务公司提供资金，用于研究PFAS销毁技术，其中赛文特伦特水务公司（Severn Trent）主导的一个项目，旨在评估相关技术和供应商的潜力。
One factor driving the market forward in the US is legal risk. Thousands of lawsuits claiming PFAS-related contamination and harm have been filed with some large chemical manufacturers, notably 3M, having already paid out billions in class-action settlements.
美国市场的一个驱动因素是法律风险。涉及 PFAS污染和危害的诉讼已达数千起，某些化工巨头（尤其是 3M公司）已支付数十亿美元的集体诉讼和解金。
Regulation is also beginning to tighten worldwide.
全球范围内的监管也开始收紧了。
Legal limits for two PFAS in drinking water are now scheduled to take effect in the US in 2031.
目前，美国针对饮用水中两种PFAS的法定限值计划于 2031 年生效。
PFAS remains a bipartisan issue, says Mr Bovée, and many expect that future US regulation will expand beyond drinking water to cover industrial discharge and other sources.
博维先生表示，PFAS仍是一个两党共识议题，许多人预测美国的监管范围将从饮用水扩大到工业排放等其他源头。
The EU also has legal limits for PFAS in drinking water, which member states must begin enforcing from next year.
欧盟对饮用水中的 PFAS 也设定了法定限值，各成员国必须从明年开始执行。
Axine's system is already in use at an auto parts company. （Axine公司的设备已在一家汽车零部件公司投入使用）
There are a variety of technologies for destroying PFAS – each with their own advantages and limitations.
目前已出现多种PFAS销毁技术——各有各的优势和局限性。
According to Mr Bovée, one technology that is almost commercially ready is electrochemical oxidation (EO) technology.
据博维先生介绍，有一种技术几乎已具备商业化条件：电化学氧化技术。
Electrodes are placed in water contaminated by PFAS and a current is passed through, resulting in the chemicals' breakdown.
将电极放置在被 PFAS 污染的水中，通过电流使其分解。
While energy intensive, it doesn't require high temperature or pressure, and is easy to operate and integrate into existing treatment systems for concentrating PFAS, says Mark Ralph, CEO of Canadian-based start-up Axine Water Technologies.
该技术能耗较高，但不需要高温或高压，且操作简便，易于集成到现有的PFAS 浓缩处理系统中，加拿大初创公司 Axine Water Technologies 的首席执行官马克·拉尔夫说道。
Last year, following a successful pilot project, it sold its first commercial-scale unit to a Michigan-based producer of automotive components. It is now up and running and the customer is planning to purchase additional systems for other sites.
去年，该公司在成功完成一个试点项目后，向美国密歇根州的一家汽车零部件生产商售出了第一套商业规模的设备。该设备现已投入运行，客户准备为其他工厂采购更多的设备。
A waste water facility in Orlando is testing 374Water's treatment system. （奥兰多的一家污水处理厂正在测试 374Water公司的处理系统）
Another technology not far behind is Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO).
与之相媲美的是超临界水氧化技术。
It relies on heating and pressurising water to such a high degree that it enters a new state of matter: a so-called supercritical state. When the PFAS waste stream is introduced, it breaks the carbon-fluorine bonds.
技术原理是将水加热加压至极高程度，使其进入新的物质形态——超临界状态。当引入PFAS废弃物流时，能够破坏其碳-氟键。
One advantage is that it can process both solid and liquid PFAS waste, says Chris Gannon, CEO of North Carolina-based 374Water.
该技术的一个优势是能够处理固态和液态PFAS，美国北卡罗来纳州的374Water 公司的首席执行官克里斯·甘农说道。
He says his technology can even destroy PFAS in plastics if they are ground up.
他说在塑料被粉碎后，这项技术甚至能够销毁塑料中的PFAS。
It can be expensive to buy and maintain – the process is so intense it requires a complex reactor and regular cleaning. But it can be more cost effective if the PFAS is first concentrated before it enters the process.
设备的购买和维护成本很高——该工艺十分苛刻，需要复杂的反应器和定期清洗。但在PFAS进入工艺之前，如果先对其进行浓缩处理，成本效益会更高。
Currently the City of Orlando in Florida is testing 374Water's technology at its largest wastewater treatment plant.
目前，佛罗里达州的奥兰多市正在最大的污水处理厂测试374Water公司的这项技术。
The City is trying to get ahead of the curve, explains Alan Oyler, its special projects manager for public works.
我市正在努力抢占先机，奥兰多市的公共工程专项项目经理艾伦·奥耶尔说道。
Levels of PFAS in sewage sludge aren't currently regulated, but he expects them to be in the future.
目前，污水污泥中的PFAS含量尚未受到监管，但他预计未来会受到监管。
So far, Mr Oyler is pleased with the destruction capability he has seen, but is also waiting to see how reliable the system is.
目前，奥耶尔先生对该设备的销毁能力感到满意，但可靠性仍有待于观察。
The scale of 374Water's current technology is small: it can handle just a fraction of the tonnes of wet sludge the facility produces daily.
374Water公司当前的技术处理规模较小——不足以处理污水处理厂每日产生的巨量湿污泥。
But the company is in the process of scaling up, and Mr Oyler imagines in a few years it will be able to handle all the facility's material "ready for when the regulations require".
但公司正在扩大产能，奥耶尔先生预计，几年后公司将能够处理污水处理厂的所有废弃物，“从而为法规未来提出的要求做好准备”。
Other technologies on their way to being commercially ready include hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT), which uses high temperature, high pressure, and an alkaline chemical to destroy PFAS; and plasma-based technology, which involves making an ionized gas (called a plasma) to attack and degrade the PFAS molecules.
即将具备商业化条件的其他技术包括：水热碱处理技术——利用高温、高压、碱性化学物质来销毁PFAS；等离子体技术——利用电离气体（称为等离子体）来破坏和降解 PFAS 分子。
Aquagga destroyed PFAS in a fire-fighting foam mixture. （Aquagga公司销毁了灭火泡沫混合液中含有的PFAS）
Yet there is one potential issue with the technologies now coming through, says Jay Meegoda, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology: nasty PFAS degradation byproducts.
然而，当前涌现的这些技术存在一个隐患——降解PFAS会生成有毒的副产物，新泽西理工学院土木与环境工程学教授杰伊·米戈达说道。
For example, in the case of EO, highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride vapor. Each needs a "complete study" accounting for all their inputs and outputs, he says.
例如，电化学氧化技术会产生强腐蚀性的氟化氢蒸汽。我们需要对每一项技术所有的投入物和产出物进行“全面研究”。
The companies have claimed they either don't produce PFAS degradation products or deal with them adequately.
这些公司声称，他们在销毁PFAS过程中不产生降解产物，或者对降解产物进行妥善处理。
One important partner for many of the PFAS destruction companies in testing their technologies in the real world has been the US Department of Defence (DOD).
对于许多PFAS销毁技术企业而言，美国国防部是他们开展实地技术试验的重要合作伙伴。
PFAS contamination at US military sites is a big, below-the-radar problem. It stems particularly from the use of older formulations of firefighting foam, used for example during training exercises or emergencies, but other routes too such as the cleaning of military equipment.
在美国军事场所，PFAS污染是一个鲜为人知的严重问题。主要来源是早期配方的灭火泡沫，例如他们会在训练演习或紧急情况下使用，此外还有装备清洗等其他来源。
More than 700 sites are known or suspected to be contaminated, posing a threat to surrounding communities. A judge recently cleared the way for PFAS contamination and harm lawsuits against the military to proceed.
700多处军事场所已被确认或疑似受到污染，对周边社区构成了威胁。最近，一名法官为针对军方造成PFAS污染与危害的诉讼扫清了法律障碍，使这些案件得以继续审理。
Clean up efforts are where the destruction companies could come in, and projects have been undertaken or are under way at various sites to assess the performance and cost effectiveness of many of their solutions.
PFAS销毁技术企业的任务就是清除它们，现在多处军事场所已启动或正在推进各类项目，旨在评估多种技术方案的处理效能与成本效益。
One start-up, Aquagga, which specialises in HALT technology, recently completed a demonstration project for the DOD which involved destroying a firefighting foam mixture amongst other concentrated PFAS-containing liquids.
初创公司Aquagga专攻水热碱处理技术（HALT），近日为美国国防部完成了一个示范项目，成功销毁了含PFAS的浓缩液体，包括灭火泡沫混合液。
Immense volumes of the foam are currently stockpiled in all sorts of places, not just at military sites.
目前不仅军事场所，各类其他场所也储存着巨量的灭火泡沫。
Like others, Aquagga sees a big opportunity over the next few years for both destroying the foam and remediating the environmental damage associated with its use.
与其他企业一样，Aquagga公司预见到未来几年的巨大商机：销毁灭火泡沫，治理因其应用而造成的环境破坏。
And outside the military, there's a tantalizing new PFAS waste stream on the horizon. The US is actively expanding domestic computer chip manufacturing – a process that uses PFAS in massive amounts. "We can destroy that," says Mr Gannon, of 374Water.
除了军事领域，一条新的PFAS废弃物流即将形成，前景十分诱人。美国正在积极扩大国内的计算机芯片制造业，生产过程中使用大量的PFAS。“我们能够销毁它们，” 374Water 公司的甘农先生说道。
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374Water can purge PFAS from water and sludge. （374Water公司能够清除水和污泥中的PFAS）
"There's a lot of destruction that needs to be done," sums up Parker Bovée of Cleantech Group, a research and consulting firm.
“我们需要大量销毁它们，” 研究咨询公司“清洁技术集团”的帕克·博维总结道。
He is referring to PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), also known as "forever chemicals".
他说的是全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS），也被称为“永久化学物质”。
These man-made chemicals can be found in items such as waterproof clothing, non-stick pans, lipsticks and food packaging.
这些人造化学物质存在于防水服、不粘锅、口红、食品包装等物品中。
They are used for their grease and water repellence, but do not degrade quickly and have been lixed to health issues such as higher risks of certain cancers and reproductive problems.
它们的用途是防油防水，但不易降解，并且与某些高发风险的癌症和生殖系统疾病相关。
The extraordinarily strong carbon-fluorine bonds they contain gives them the ability to persist for decades or even centuries in nature.
它们含有极其牢固的碳-氟键，使其得以在自然界中留存数十年乃至上百年。
PFAS can be detected and removed from water and soil and then concentrated into smaller volumes of high strength waste.
水和土壤中的PFAS能够被检测和清除，并浓缩成小体积的高强度废弃物。
But what to do with that waste?
但问题是如何处理这些废弃物？
Currently, concentrated PFAS waste is either put in long-term storage which is expensive, or incinerated (often incompletely, leading to toxic emissions), or sent to landfills for hazardous waste.
目前，浓缩后的 PFAS 废弃物要么被长期储存（但费用高昂），要么被焚烧（通常不彻底，且排放物有毒），要么被送往危险废物填埋场。
But now clean-tech companies are bringing techniques to market that can destroy them.
但是现在，多家清洁技术公司向市场推出了PFAS销毁技术。
These are being tested in small-scale pilot projects with potential customers including some industrial manufacturers, municipal wastewater treatment plants and even the US military.
这些技术正在小规模的试点项目中接受测试，潜在客户包括工业制造商、市政污水处理厂，甚至美国军方。
There's a "large and growing" market opportunity for PFAS destruction companies notes Mr Bovée.
PFAS销毁公司迎来规模可观、增长强劲的市场机遇，博维先生说道。
While it is mostly currently centred in the US, others are dipping their toes, he says.
尽管目前市场主要集中在美国，但其他国家也在小试牛刀，他说道。
In the UK, funding for water companies to look into PFAS destruction has been provided by water regulator Ofwat, with Severn Trent Water leading a project to examine the potential technologies and suppliers.
英国水务监管局（Ofwat）已经为水务公司提供资金，用于研究PFAS销毁技术，其中赛文特伦特水务公司（Severn Trent）主导的一个项目，旨在评估相关技术和供应商的潜力。
One factor driving the market forward in the US is legal risk. Thousands of lawsuits claiming PFAS-related contamination and harm have been filed with some large chemical manufacturers, notably 3M, having already paid out billions in class-action settlements.
美国市场的一个驱动因素是法律风险。涉及 PFAS污染和危害的诉讼已达数千起，某些化工巨头（尤其是 3M公司）已支付数十亿美元的集体诉讼和解金。
Regulation is also beginning to tighten worldwide.
全球范围内的监管也开始收紧了。
Legal limits for two PFAS in drinking water are now scheduled to take effect in the US in 2031.
目前，美国针对饮用水中两种PFAS的法定限值计划于 2031 年生效。
PFAS remains a bipartisan issue, says Mr Bovée, and many expect that future US regulation will expand beyond drinking water to cover industrial discharge and other sources.
博维先生表示，PFAS仍是一个两党共识议题，许多人预测美国的监管范围将从饮用水扩大到工业排放等其他源头。
The EU also has legal limits for PFAS in drinking water, which member states must begin enforcing from next year.
欧盟对饮用水中的 PFAS 也设定了法定限值，各成员国必须从明年开始执行。
Axine's system is already in use at an auto parts company. （Axine公司的设备已在一家汽车零部件公司投入使用）
There are a variety of technologies for destroying PFAS – each with their own advantages and limitations.
目前已出现多种PFAS销毁技术——各有各的优势和局限性。
According to Mr Bovée, one technology that is almost commercially ready is electrochemical oxidation (EO) technology.
据博维先生介绍，有一种技术几乎已具备商业化条件：电化学氧化技术。
Electrodes are placed in water contaminated by PFAS and a current is passed through, resulting in the chemicals' breakdown.
将电极放置在被 PFAS 污染的水中，通过电流使其分解。
While energy intensive, it doesn't require high temperature or pressure, and is easy to operate and integrate into existing treatment systems for concentrating PFAS, says Mark Ralph, CEO of Canadian-based start-up Axine Water Technologies.
该技术能耗较高，但不需要高温或高压，且操作简便，易于集成到现有的PFAS 浓缩处理系统中，加拿大初创公司 Axine Water Technologies 的首席执行官马克·拉尔夫说道。
Last year, following a successful pilot project, it sold its first commercial-scale unit to a Michigan-based producer of automotive components. It is now up and running and the customer is planning to purchase additional systems for other sites.
去年，该公司在成功完成一个试点项目后，向美国密歇根州的一家汽车零部件生产商售出了第一套商业规模的设备。该设备现已投入运行，客户准备为其他工厂采购更多的设备。
A waste water facility in Orlando is testing 374Water's treatment system. （奥兰多的一家污水处理厂正在测试 374Water公司的处理系统）
Another technology not far behind is Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO).
与之相媲美的是超临界水氧化技术。
It relies on heating and pressurising water to such a high degree that it enters a new state of matter: a so-called supercritical state. When the PFAS waste stream is introduced, it breaks the carbon-fluorine bonds.
技术原理是将水加热加压至极高程度，使其进入新的物质形态——超临界状态。当引入PFAS废弃物流时，能够破坏其碳-氟键。
One advantage is that it can process both solid and liquid PFAS waste, says Chris Gannon, CEO of North Carolina-based 374Water.
该技术的一个优势是能够处理固态和液态PFAS，美国北卡罗来纳州的374Water 公司的首席执行官克里斯·甘农说道。
He says his technology can even destroy PFAS in plastics if they are ground up.
他说在塑料被粉碎后，这项技术甚至能够销毁塑料中的PFAS。
It can be expensive to buy and maintain – the process is so intense it requires a complex reactor and regular cleaning. But it can be more cost effective if the PFAS is first concentrated before it enters the process.
设备的购买和维护成本很高——该工艺十分苛刻，需要复杂的反应器和定期清洗。但在PFAS进入工艺之前，如果先对其进行浓缩处理，成本效益会更高。
Currently the City of Orlando in Florida is testing 374Water's technology at its largest wastewater treatment plant.
目前，佛罗里达州的奥兰多市正在最大的污水处理厂测试374Water公司的这项技术。
The City is trying to get ahead of the curve, explains Alan Oyler, its special projects manager for public works.
我市正在努力抢占先机，奥兰多市的公共工程专项项目经理艾伦·奥耶尔说道。
Levels of PFAS in sewage sludge aren't currently regulated, but he expects them to be in the future.
目前，污水污泥中的PFAS含量尚未受到监管，但他预计未来会受到监管。
So far, Mr Oyler is pleased with the destruction capability he has seen, but is also waiting to see how reliable the system is.
目前，奥耶尔先生对该设备的销毁能力感到满意，但可靠性仍有待于观察。
The scale of 374Water's current technology is small: it can handle just a fraction of the tonnes of wet sludge the facility produces daily.
374Water公司当前的技术处理规模较小——不足以处理污水处理厂每日产生的巨量湿污泥。
But the company is in the process of scaling up, and Mr Oyler imagines in a few years it will be able to handle all the facility's material "ready for when the regulations require".
但公司正在扩大产能，奥耶尔先生预计，几年后公司将能够处理污水处理厂的所有废弃物，“从而为法规未来提出的要求做好准备”。
Other technologies on their way to being commercially ready include hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT), which uses high temperature, high pressure, and an alkaline chemical to destroy PFAS; and plasma-based technology, which involves making an ionized gas (called a plasma) to attack and degrade the PFAS molecules.
即将具备商业化条件的其他技术包括：水热碱处理技术——利用高温、高压、碱性化学物质来销毁PFAS；等离子体技术——利用电离气体（称为等离子体）来破坏和降解 PFAS 分子。
Aquagga destroyed PFAS in a fire-fighting foam mixture. （Aquagga公司销毁了灭火泡沫混合液中含有的PFAS）
Yet there is one potential issue with the technologies now coming through, says Jay Meegoda, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology: nasty PFAS degradation byproducts.
然而，当前涌现的这些技术存在一个隐患——降解PFAS会生成有毒的副产物，新泽西理工学院土木与环境工程学教授杰伊·米戈达说道。
For example, in the case of EO, highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride vapor. Each needs a "complete study" accounting for all their inputs and outputs, he says.
例如，电化学氧化技术会产生强腐蚀性的氟化氢蒸汽。我们需要对每一项技术所有的投入物和产出物进行“全面研究”。
The companies have claimed they either don't produce PFAS degradation products or deal with them adequately.
这些公司声称，他们在销毁PFAS过程中不产生降解产物，或者对降解产物进行妥善处理。
One important partner for many of the PFAS destruction companies in testing their technologies in the real world has been the US Department of Defence (DOD).
对于许多PFAS销毁技术企业而言，美国国防部是他们开展实地技术试验的重要合作伙伴。
PFAS contamination at US military sites is a big, below-the-radar problem. It stems particularly from the use of older formulations of firefighting foam, used for example during training exercises or emergencies, but other routes too such as the cleaning of military equipment.
在美国军事场所，PFAS污染是一个鲜为人知的严重问题。主要来源是早期配方的灭火泡沫，例如他们会在训练演习或紧急情况下使用，此外还有装备清洗等其他来源。
More than 700 sites are known or suspected to be contaminated, posing a threat to surrounding communities. A judge recently cleared the way for PFAS contamination and harm lawsuits against the military to proceed.
700多处军事场所已被确认或疑似受到污染，对周边社区构成了威胁。最近，一名法官为针对军方造成PFAS污染与危害的诉讼扫清了法律障碍，使这些案件得以继续审理。
Clean up efforts are where the destruction companies could come in, and projects have been undertaken or are under way at various sites to assess the performance and cost effectiveness of many of their solutions.
PFAS销毁技术企业的任务就是清除它们，现在多处军事场所已启动或正在推进各类项目，旨在评估多种技术方案的处理效能与成本效益。
One start-up, Aquagga, which specialises in HALT technology, recently completed a demonstration project for the DOD which involved destroying a firefighting foam mixture amongst other concentrated PFAS-containing liquids.
初创公司Aquagga专攻水热碱处理技术（HALT），近日为美国国防部完成了一个示范项目，成功销毁了含PFAS的浓缩液体，包括灭火泡沫混合液。
Immense volumes of the foam are currently stockpiled in all sorts of places, not just at military sites.
目前不仅军事场所，各类其他场所也储存着巨量的灭火泡沫。
Like others, Aquagga sees a big opportunity over the next few years for both destroying the foam and remediating the environmental damage associated with its use.
与其他企业一样，Aquagga公司预见到未来几年的巨大商机：销毁灭火泡沫，治理因其应用而造成的环境破坏。
And outside the military, there's a tantalizing new PFAS waste stream on the horizon. The US is actively expanding domestic computer chip manufacturing – a process that uses PFAS in massive amounts. "We can destroy that," says Mr Gannon, of 374Water.
除了军事领域，一条新的PFAS废弃物流即将形成，前景十分诱人。美国正在积极扩大国内的计算机芯片制造业，生产过程中使用大量的PFAS。“我们能够销毁它们，” 374Water 公司的甘农先生说道。
374Water can purge PFAS from water and sludge. （374Water公司能够清除水和污泥中的PFAS）"There's a lot of destruction that needs to be done," sums up Parker Bovée of Cleantech Group, a research and consulting firm.
“我们需要大量销毁它们，” 研究咨询公司“清洁技术集团”的帕克·博维总结道。
He is referring to PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), also known as "forever chemicals".
他说的是全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS），也被称为“永久化学物质”。
These man-made chemicals can be found in items such as waterproof clothing, non-stick pans, lipsticks and food packaging.
这些人造化学物质存在于防水服、不粘锅、口红、食品包装等物品中。
They are used for their grease and water repellence, but do not degrade quickly and have been lixed to health issues such as higher risks of certain cancers and reproductive problems.
它们的用途是防油防水，但不易降解，并且与某些高发风险的癌症和生殖系统疾病相关。
The extraordinarily strong carbon-fluorine bonds they contain gives them the ability to persist for decades or even centuries in nature.
它们含有极其牢固的碳-氟键，使其得以在自然界中留存数十年乃至上百年。
PFAS can be detected and removed from water and soil and then concentrated into smaller volumes of high strength waste.
水和土壤中的PFAS能够被检测和清除，并浓缩成小体积的高强度废弃物。
But what to do with that waste?
但问题是如何处理这些废弃物？
Currently, concentrated PFAS waste is either put in long-term storage which is expensive, or incinerated (often incompletely, leading to toxic emissions), or sent to landfills for hazardous waste.
目前，浓缩后的 PFAS 废弃物要么被长期储存（但费用高昂），要么被焚烧（通常不彻底，且排放物有毒），要么被送往危险废物填埋场。
But now clean-tech companies are bringing techniques to market that can destroy them.
但是现在，多家清洁技术公司向市场推出了PFAS销毁技术。
These are being tested in small-scale pilot projects with potential customers including some industrial manufacturers, municipal wastewater treatment plants and even the US military.
这些技术正在小规模的试点项目中接受测试，潜在客户包括工业制造商、市政污水处理厂，甚至美国军方。
There's a "large and growing" market opportunity for PFAS destruction companies notes Mr Bovée.
PFAS销毁公司迎来规模可观、增长强劲的市场机遇，博维先生说道。
While it is mostly currently centred in the US, others are dipping their toes, he says.
尽管目前市场主要集中在美国，但其他国家也在小试牛刀，他说道。
In the UK, funding for water companies to look into PFAS destruction has been provided by water regulator Ofwat, with Severn Trent Water leading a project to examine the potential technologies and suppliers.
英国水务监管局（Ofwat）已经为水务公司提供资金，用于研究PFAS销毁技术，其中赛文特伦特水务公司（Severn Trent）主导的一个项目，旨在评估相关技术和供应商的潜力。
One factor driving the market forward in the US is legal risk. Thousands of lawsuits claiming PFAS-related contamination and harm have been filed with some large chemical manufacturers, notably 3M, having already paid out billions in class-action settlements.
美国市场的一个驱动因素是法律风险。涉及 PFAS污染和危害的诉讼已达数千起，某些化工巨头（尤其是 3M公司）已支付数十亿美元的集体诉讼和解金。
Regulation is also beginning to tighten worldwide.
全球范围内的监管也开始收紧了。
Legal limits for two PFAS in drinking water are now scheduled to take effect in the US in 2031.
目前，美国针对饮用水中两种PFAS的法定限值计划于 2031 年生效。
PFAS remains a bipartisan issue, says Mr Bovée, and many expect that future US regulation will expand beyond drinking water to cover industrial discharge and other sources.
博维先生表示，PFAS仍是一个两党共识议题，许多人预测美国的监管范围将从饮用水扩大到工业排放等其他源头。
The EU also has legal limits for PFAS in drinking water, which member states must begin enforcing from next year.
欧盟对饮用水中的 PFAS 也设定了法定限值，各成员国必须从明年开始执行。
Axine's system is already in use at an auto parts company. （Axine公司的设备已在一家汽车零部件公司投入使用）
There are a variety of technologies for destroying PFAS – each with their own advantages and limitations.
目前已出现多种PFAS销毁技术——各有各的优势和局限性。
According to Mr Bovée, one technology that is almost commercially ready is electrochemical oxidation (EO) technology.
据博维先生介绍，有一种技术几乎已具备商业化条件：电化学氧化技术。
Electrodes are placed in water contaminated by PFAS and a current is passed through, resulting in the chemicals' breakdown.
将电极放置在被 PFAS 污染的水中，通过电流使其分解。
While energy intensive, it doesn't require high temperature or pressure, and is easy to operate and integrate into existing treatment systems for concentrating PFAS, says Mark Ralph, CEO of Canadian-based start-up Axine Water Technologies.
该技术能耗较高，但不需要高温或高压，且操作简便，易于集成到现有的PFAS 浓缩处理系统中，加拿大初创公司 Axine Water Technologies 的首席执行官马克·拉尔夫说道。
Last year, following a successful pilot project, it sold its first commercial-scale unit to a Michigan-based producer of automotive components. It is now up and running and the customer is planning to purchase additional systems for other sites.
去年，该公司在成功完成一个试点项目后，向美国密歇根州的一家汽车零部件生产商售出了第一套商业规模的设备。该设备现已投入运行，客户准备为其他工厂采购更多的设备。
A waste water facility in Orlando is testing 374Water's treatment system. （奥兰多的一家污水处理厂正在测试 374Water公司的处理系统）
Another technology not far behind is Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO).
与之相媲美的是超临界水氧化技术。
It relies on heating and pressurising water to such a high degree that it enters a new state of matter: a so-called supercritical state. When the PFAS waste stream is introduced, it breaks the carbon-fluorine bonds.
技术原理是将水加热加压至极高程度，使其进入新的物质形态——超临界状态。当引入PFAS废弃物流时，能够破坏其碳-氟键。
One advantage is that it can process both solid and liquid PFAS waste, says Chris Gannon, CEO of North Carolina-based 374Water.
该技术的一个优势是能够处理固态和液态PFAS，美国北卡罗来纳州的374Water 公司的首席执行官克里斯·甘农说道。
He says his technology can even destroy PFAS in plastics if they are ground up.
他说在塑料被粉碎后，这项技术甚至能够销毁塑料中的PFAS。
It can be expensive to buy and maintain – the process is so intense it requires a complex reactor and regular cleaning. But it can be more cost effective if the PFAS is first concentrated before it enters the process.
设备的购买和维护成本很高——该工艺十分苛刻，需要复杂的反应器和定期清洗。但在PFAS进入工艺之前，如果先对其进行浓缩处理，成本效益会更高。
Currently the City of Orlando in Florida is testing 374Water's technology at its largest wastewater treatment plant.
目前，佛罗里达州的奥兰多市正在最大的污水处理厂测试374Water公司的这项技术。
The City is trying to get ahead of the curve, explains Alan Oyler, its special projects manager for public works.
我市正在努力抢占先机，奥兰多市的公共工程专项项目经理艾伦·奥耶尔说道。
Levels of PFAS in sewage sludge aren't currently regulated, but he expects them to be in the future.
目前，污水污泥中的PFAS含量尚未受到监管，但他预计未来会受到监管。
So far, Mr Oyler is pleased with the destruction capability he has seen, but is also waiting to see how reliable the system is.
目前，奥耶尔先生对该设备的销毁能力感到满意，但可靠性仍有待于观察。
The scale of 374Water's current technology is small: it can handle just a fraction of the tonnes of wet sludge the facility produces daily.
374Water公司当前的技术处理规模较小——不足以处理污水处理厂每日产生的巨量湿污泥。
But the company is in the process of scaling up, and Mr Oyler imagines in a few years it will be able to handle all the facility's material "ready for when the regulations require".
但公司正在扩大产能，奥耶尔先生预计，几年后公司将能够处理污水处理厂的所有废弃物，“从而为法规未来提出的要求做好准备”。
Other technologies on their way to being commercially ready include hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT), which uses high temperature, high pressure, and an alkaline chemical to destroy PFAS; and plasma-based technology, which involves making an ionized gas (called a plasma) to attack and degrade the PFAS molecules.
即将具备商业化条件的其他技术包括：水热碱处理技术——利用高温、高压、碱性化学物质来销毁PFAS；等离子体技术——利用电离气体（称为等离子体）来破坏和降解 PFAS 分子。
Aquagga destroyed PFAS in a fire-fighting foam mixture. （Aquagga公司销毁了灭火泡沫混合液中含有的PFAS）
Yet there is one potential issue with the technologies now coming through, says Jay Meegoda, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology: nasty PFAS degradation byproducts.
然而，当前涌现的这些技术存在一个隐患——降解PFAS会生成有毒的副产物，新泽西理工学院土木与环境工程学教授杰伊·米戈达说道。
For example, in the case of EO, highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride vapor. Each needs a "complete study" accounting for all their inputs and outputs, he says.
例如，电化学氧化技术会产生强腐蚀性的氟化氢蒸汽。我们需要对每一项技术所有的投入物和产出物进行“全面研究”。
The companies have claimed they either don't produce PFAS degradation products or deal with them adequately.
这些公司声称，他们在销毁PFAS过程中不产生降解产物，或者对降解产物进行妥善处理。
One important partner for many of the PFAS destruction companies in testing their technologies in the real world has been the US Department of Defence (DOD).
对于许多PFAS销毁技术企业而言，美国国防部是他们开展实地技术试验的重要合作伙伴。
PFAS contamination at US military sites is a big, below-the-radar problem. It stems particularly from the use of older formulations of firefighting foam, used for example during training exercises or emergencies, but other routes too such as the cleaning of military equipment.
在美国军事场所，PFAS污染是一个鲜为人知的严重问题。主要来源是早期配方的灭火泡沫，例如他们会在训练演习或紧急情况下使用，此外还有装备清洗等其他来源。
More than 700 sites are known or suspected to be contaminated, posing a threat to surrounding communities. A judge recently cleared the way for PFAS contamination and harm lawsuits against the military to proceed.
700多处军事场所已被确认或疑似受到污染，对周边社区构成了威胁。最近，一名法官为针对军方造成PFAS污染与危害的诉讼扫清了法律障碍，使这些案件得以继续审理。
Clean up efforts are where the destruction companies could come in, and projects have been undertaken or are under way at various sites to assess the performance and cost effectiveness of many of their solutions.
PFAS销毁技术企业的任务就是清除它们，现在多处军事场所已启动或正在推进各类项目，旨在评估多种技术方案的处理效能与成本效益。
One start-up, Aquagga, which specialises in HALT technology, recently completed a demonstration project for the DOD which involved destroying a firefighting foam mixture amongst other concentrated PFAS-containing liquids.
初创公司Aquagga专攻水热碱处理技术（HALT），近日为美国国防部完成了一个示范项目，成功销毁了含PFAS的浓缩液体，包括灭火泡沫混合液。
Immense volumes of the foam are currently stockpiled in all sorts of places, not just at military sites.
目前不仅军事场所，各类其他场所也储存着巨量的灭火泡沫。
Like others, Aquagga sees a big opportunity over the next few years for both destroying the foam and remediating the environmental damage associated with its use.
与其他企业一样，Aquagga公司预见到未来几年的巨大商机：销毁灭火泡沫，治理因其应用而造成的环境破坏。
And outside the military, there's a tantalizing new PFAS waste stream on the horizon. The US is actively expanding domestic computer chip manufacturing – a process that uses PFAS in massive amounts. "We can destroy that," says Mr Gannon, of 374Water.
除了军事领域，一条新的PFAS废弃物流即将形成，前景十分诱人。美国正在积极扩大国内的计算机芯片制造业，生产过程中使用大量的PFAS。“我们能够销毁它们，” 374Water 公司的甘农先生说道。
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