Boise State University researchers develop breakthrough technology to detect ‘forever chemicals’ faster, cheaper, and on-site
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1127925
Publish Date: 2026-05-12 16:16:00
Source Domain: www.eurekalert.org
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Graduate student Lukas Crockett holds up nine PFAS Detection technology devices.
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Credit: Photo by Luan Teed, Boise State University
A Boise State University electrical engineering professor and a local technology company have jointly developed a portable, affordable device capable of detecting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals”, in water samples in real time and at trace levels meeting current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. The breakthrough, developed by Boise State Electrical Engineering Professor Kris Campbell and President of Pearlhill Technologies, LLC, Bamidele Omotowa, was supported by a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Addressing a Global Public Health Crisis
PFAS chemicals, of which more than a thousand varieties exist, are pervasive in drinking water, food, cookware, clothing and consumer products. The most toxic forms are linked to multiple types of cancer, infertility, developmental delays in infants and compromised immune systems. Despite the urgency of this public health threat, current detection methods are prohibitively expensive and slow: a single EPA-approved water sample analysis costs approximately $300, takes several weeks, and requires highly specialized laboratory equipment such as liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.
A Faster, Field-Ready Solution
The patented device is called the ENVIR-OGT (stands for Environmental Optically Gated…
