New Metal-Organic Frameworks Rapidly Remove and Reuse to Filter PFAS from Water
Researchers developed zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that capture harmful PFAS chemicals from water faster and more efficiently than activated carbon. These MOFs, some coated with organosilicone, can be washed and reused multiple times, making the filtration process more sustainable. While effective for common PFAS like PFOA and PFOS, capturing smaller molecules like GenX remains challenging.
PFAS, or 'forever chemicals,' are persistent environmental pollutants used in many products and linked to health risks. Traditional removal methods, such as activated carbon filtration, are slow, energy-intensive, and not easily recyclable. To address these shortcomings, a team led by Soumya Mukherjee designed eight variants of zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) differing in organic molecule composition and surface coating with organosilicone. These MOFs exhibited faster adsorption kinetics, capturing PFAS within 30 minutes compared to hours by activated carbon, and achieved higher removal rates for chemicals like PFOA and PFOS. The MOFs can be regenerated by washing with common solvents like acetone, allowing for repeated use. Despite these advances, the MOFs were less effective against the smaller GenX molecules, indicating a need for further improvements. This research highlights the potential of customizable MOFs to provide faster, reusable, and more energy-efficient solutions for purifying drinking water contaminated with PFAS, a widespread and challenging pollutant group.
