en.Wedoany.com Reported - Kemira and CuspAI have used generative AI to design novel PFAS removal materials for treating trace concentrations of PFAS in drinking water and process water. The collaboration searched approximately 300 trillion possible material structures and provided over 5,000 novel designs, including complete performance data for three priority PFAS molecules: GenX, PFBS, and PFOS.
The AI-designed PFAS removal materials have now been narrowed down to approximately 20 priority candidates for further development and testing. Kemira and CuspAI stated that the project reached this stage within six months, compressing a discovery process that typically takes years. The project utilized CuspAI's generative materials platform to design metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) from scratch, targeting the removal of specific PFAS molecules at sub-parts-per-billion concentrations in water while maintaining water stability, environmental compatibility, synthesizability, and cost-effectiveness.
PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer applications, and they are difficult to break down in the environment. Increasingly stringent standards, including restrictions announced by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2024 and requirements under the EU Drinking Water Directive, have intensified the pressure to develop treatment technologies. While granular activated carbon is currently one of the methods for PFAS treatment, this project aims to explore whether AI-driven material discovery can support more selective and durable alternatives.
The design space for metal-organic frameworks is extremely vast. Through generative AI, the project searched approximately 300 trillion structures and identified new functional group chemistries with potential for broader development. Dr. Chad Edwards, CEO and co-founder of CuspAI, stated that this collaboration demonstrates how AI can compress discovery timelines for environmental challenges. Sampo Lahtinen, Executive Vice President of Research and Innovation at Kemira, noted that candidate materials were evaluated against industrial requirements. Antti Salminen, President and CEO of Kemira, said that the two companies now have "a reliable pathway to next-generation PFAS remediation products." Under the partnership framework agreement, the project has now entered further development and testing phases, while additional projects for other material categories are being planned.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
