Transforming water safety in Europe: fast, field-deployable graphene sensors for ultra-trace, real-time PFAS detectionbroad
PFAST · Horizon Europe grant · 2026-06-01–2028-05-31
EC contribution
Total cost
Beneficiaries
About the data
Source: CORDIS (official EU open data), Horizon Europe. Framework HORIZON · call HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02 · scheme HORIZON-EIC-ACC · topic HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-CHALLENGES-01. CORDIS record →
Objective
PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” are increasingly detected across the world. To date, more than 23,000 contaminated sites are identified and an additional 21,500 presumptive contaminated sites exist across Europe. PFAS are the leading cause of severe adverse health effects, ecosystem disruption, and escalating burdens on public health systems.From 2026, the EU Drinking Water Directive tightens PFAS limits and pushes higher-frequency sampling. Meanwhile, industry’s gold standard (LC-MS/MS) returns results in weeks, which is too slow for regulatory compliance, thereby failing to meet the operational requirements of Water Treatment Plants (WTP). Hence, today WTP Operators urgently need solutions to contribute towards addressing the PFAS challenge, as current options fall short.PFAST is Grapheal’s deep-tech answer to this challenge: a full-stack graphene sensing platform that brings PFAS analysis to the point of need, turning lab-bound PFAS testing into on-site decisions in minutes. Our technology is the fruit of 12 years of pioneering graphene research and today is protected by 8 patent families and 50+ patents covering materials, device architecture and electronics. PFAST leverages the unique properties of graphene—atom-thin transduction layer, high carrier mobility, and dense surface functionalisation—to achieve rapid, stable signals in complex water matrices. As a result, PFAST has 10x higher sensitivity than existing field-deployable PFAS solutions.PFAST not only allows WTP Operators to meet pressing regulations, but also reduces their OPEX by enabling continuous water filter monitoring. Due to these benefits, Grapheal has received strong interest for its technology from Europe’s largest water utilities. Built and scaled in Europe under Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design principles, PFAST will strengthen EU technological sovereignty in advanced materials and smart sensing, positioning Europe as the first region to launch a graphene biosensor at scale.
Beneficiaries (1)
| Organisation | Country | Role | EC contribution | SME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRAPHEAL | FR | coordinator | €2,499,283 | Yes |
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