Toxic chemical clean-up developed

Australian scientists are developing a way to clean one of the world's most toxic yet widely-used chemicals.

Firefighting foam is made up of fluoride compounds. These highly-persistent chemicals have been used for decades worldwide as fire retardants.

Researchers at the CRC for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE) and the University of South Australia have developed a field test kit and two methods of cleaning up the fluorine compounds which form the basis of fire retardants commonly used by military and civilian authorities around the world.

"These fluorinated compounds - known as PFOS - are highly persistent, both in humans and in the environment, more so even than DDT. They last for years and may have serious health and ecological consequences," team leader, Associate Professor Megharaj Mallavarapu said.

"Although the firefighting foams which use PFOS are being gradually phased out, they are still in widespread use and sites where they have been used or spilled remain contaminated for many years."