Fluoropolymer sorbent for efficient and selective capturing of per- and polyfluorinated compounds

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained widespread attention due to their adverse effects on health and environment. Developing efficient technology to capture PFAS from contaminated sources remains a great challenge. In this study, we introduce a type of reusable polymeric sorbent (PFPE-IEX + ) for rapid, efficient, and selective removal of multiple PFAS impurities from various contaminated water sources. The resin achieves >98% removal efficiency ([PFPE-IEX + ] = 0.5–5 mg mL−1, [PFAS]0 = 1–10 ppb in potable water and landfill leachate) and >500 mg g−1 sorption capacity for the 11 types of examined PFAS. We achieve efficient PFAS removal without breakthrough and subsequent resin regeneration and demonstrate good PFAS recovery in a proof-of-concept cartridge setup. The outcomes of this study offer valuable guidance to the design of platforms for efficient and selective PFAS capture from contaminated water, such as drinking water and landfill leachate. It is challenging to remove Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water. Here, authors developed a polymer sorbent capable of selectively and efficiently removing PFAS from contaminated water sources to levels below detection limits.