PFAS are synthetic, fully or partially fluorinated carbon chains whose C-F bonds are extremely stable, making them virtually non-degradable. Chemically, they belong to the class of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, a large group of compounds comprising over 10,000 individual compounds.
The History of PFAS – From Invention to Environmental Crisis
The history of PFAS is marked by technological progress, economic interests, and decades of covering up health risks.
After their first synthesis in 1938, these fluorinated compounds quickly found their way into numerous everyday products. PFOA (C8), in particular, was used for decades in the production of Teflon —despite internal studies as early as the 1950s and 1960s that provided clear evidence of toxic effects such as organ enlargement, cancer, and birth defects. Companies kept these findings secret and continued production, causing large quantities of these persistent chemicals to be released into the environment. In the 1980s, the extent of the contamination became apparent: PFAS were detected in the blood of workers and nearby residents, yet internal investigations were halted. It was only through later revelations and legal proceedings that the systematic cover-up and widespread environmental contamination came to light—placing PFAS, as “forever chemicals,” at the center of a global environmental crisis.
Sources: *The Teflon Toxin: DuPont and the Chemistry of Deception*; *The History of the Cover-Up*—NABU Federal Expert Committee on Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology
PFAS – A Global Environmental Problem with Local Consequences
PFAS can be detected almost everywhere today: in groundwater, soil, food, and even in human blood.
A Greenpeace report from January 2025 shows that even the sea foam on German North Sea and Baltic Sea beaches is heavily contaminated with PFAS, with concentrations in some cases far exceeding all applicable guideline and reference values.
Beaches in Sankt Peter Ording, Sylt (Westerland & Nord), Norderney, Boltenhagen, and Kühlungsborn were examined. PFAS were found in all samples tested.
Source: Report_Greenpeace_PFAS-in-Sea-Foam_01-2025.pdf
The exceptional chemical stability of PFAS means that they hardly degrade at all and accumulate in the environment over thousands of years. For municipalities, businesses, and property owners, this means that PFAS contamination is not just an abstract global problem, but a concrete local challenge.
Many regions face the challenge of remediating contaminated soil and groundwater—often without suitable technologies or using methods that are expensive, slow, or unreliable. The urgency is growing, as PFAS can contribute to health risks such as endocrine disruption, immune system dysfunction, or cancer.
From Crisis to Solution—PFAS Remediation Is Possible
Sensatec has developed an in-situ method that permanently removes PFAS from the soil. This marks a decisive step toward actually eliminating these “forever chemicals”—rather than simply shifting the problem to landfills.
