a few miles downstream of the united states’ largest semiconductor fabrication plant project in history, researchers are using paper waste to power a device to detect pfas in wastewater.

the shovels have already hit the ground on the semiconductor facility, marking the start of a nearly 20-year-long construction project for micron technologies’ megafab facility in clay, new york. the four semiconductor “fab” facilities will be responsible for outputting more than 30 million gallons of wastewater everyday to be treated by oak orchard wastewater treatment plant. 

“pfas” are a group of long-lasting chemicals used in many industrial processes and are vital to etching and coating the intricacies of micron’s small, integrated circuits. pfas can cause harm to reproductive health, adolescent development, and cancer. there are over 15,000 different types of pfas, some of which are what experts call “short-chain” or “long-chain” forms. recent legislation has focused more attention on the long-chain types rather than the more common short-chain ones. 

researchers at the leem lab in upstate new york are working to develop improved detection methods for “harder-to-detect” forms of pfas. the detection device uses lignin, a waste product from paper manufacturing processes, which the researchers say has the potential to be used by micron technologies.