The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) has received over NOK 12 million from the Research Council of Norway to lead a groundbreaking research initiative targeting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals”. The VIRTUE project, led by NGI expert Gerard Cornelissen, aims to develop a nature-based, circular clean-up method that addresses PFAS contamination in soil, water, and food systems. This is an escalating environmental and health issue worldwide.
A circular solution to PFAS contamination
PFAS are synthetic chemicals widely used in consumer products, from firefighting foam to waterproof textiles. They resist degradation and accumulate in ecosystems and the human body. Alarmingly, levels in Norwegian sewage sludge have been found up to 4,000 times higher than the Dutch soil toxicity limit.
The VIRTUE project introduces a “virtuous cycle” remediation strategy. First, plants extract PFAS from soil through phytoremediation. The contaminated biomass is then processed using controlled pyrolysis, which breaks down the PFAS. Finally, the resulting biochar, a carbon-rich stabilised material, is reapplied to the soil, where it binds any remaining PFAS and prevents further spread.
From lab to field: testing the method
VIRTUE’s integrated approach of phytoremediation, pyrolysis and biochar offers a sustainable alternative to conventional methods such as soil excavation and incineration, which are costly and destructive. Field trials will take place in agricultural and peri-urban regions of Norway affected by PFAS from sewage sludge and firefighting activities.
The project will also investigate whether biochar can reduce PFAS uptake in animals when used as a feed additive. This could help lower chemical levels in milk and meat.
Broad collaboration across disciplines
Cornelissen, who also holds a professorship at NMBU, is collaborating with institutions including NTNU, NIBIO, FHI, SINTEF, and Denmark’s DTU. The project bridges soil science, environmental engineering and public health.
“This is about more than the environment. PFAS can accumulate in the food we eat and in our bodies. Handling these chemicals safely is therefore both a health and a food safety issue,” Cornelissen explains.
VIRTUE builds on earlier NGI research. Cornelissen and Erlend Sørmo received the 2024 Miljøringen Award for showing that adding just one percent of sludge-based biochar can prevent up to 99 percent of PFAS leakage. Recent findings from NGI researcher Michel Hubert suggest that such biochar can immobilise PFAS in soil for up to 100 years.
