Amino-functionalized UiO-66 as a Novel Adsorbent for Removal of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate from Aqueous Solution

Perfluorinated compounds are a class of emerging organic water contaminants that pose risk to human health and the natural environment. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is the most extensively used perfluorinated compound worldwide owing to its applications in various fields. In this study, UiO-66 and UiO-66-NH2 were synthesized via a solvothermal method that uses hydrochloric acid. These were evaluated as potential adsorbents to remove PFOS from an aqueous solution. UiO-66-NH2 showed the highest adsorption capacity because its affinity for PFOS anions in water is improved despite the decrease in specific surface area caused by the introduction of amino groups. Previous studies have reported that a UiO-66 type framework is an effective PFOS adsorbent. This study presents a novel approach to enhance its adsorption performance by amino group modification. Perfluorooctane sulfonate is the most representative pollutants, with worldwide applications in various fields. In this study, UiO-66 and UiO-66-NH2 were used as adsorbents in removal experiments for perfluorooctane sulfonate from aqueous solution. UiO-66-NH2 showed the highest adsorption capacity owing to an improvement in affinity for PFOS anions in water rather than the drop in specific surface area caused by the introduction of amino groups.