Bacterial degradation of perfluoroalkyl acids

Advances in biological degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have shown that bioremediation is a promising method of PFAS mineralization; however, most of these studies focus on remediation of more reactive polyfluorinated compounds. This review focuses on the defluorination of the more recalcitrant perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs) by bacteria. We highlight key studies that report PFAA degradation products, specific bacteria, and relevant genes. Among these studies, we discuss trends in anaerobic versus aerobic conditions with specific bacterial species or consortia. This holistic review seeks to elucidate the state of PFAA biodegradation research and discuss the need for future research for environmental application. [Display omitted] •PFAA biodegradation with detection of degradation products has been reported.•Biodegradation of PFAAs has been linked to specific genes.•Biodegradation of PFAAs was observed under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.•A majority of PFAA biodegradation studies were reported for microbial consortia.