Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic compounds developed for various applications; some are connected to adverse health impacts including immunosuppression and higher susceptibility to some cancers. Current PFAS remediation treatments from aqueous sources include granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption, membrane separation, and anion- exchange resin (AER) removal. Each has specific disadvantages, hence the need for a new and efficient technology. Herein, acrylamide-based hydrogel composites were synthesized with powdered activated carbon (PAC) and characterized to determine their affinity for PFAS. Physicochemical characterization included Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify chemical composition, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to confirm PAC loading percentage, and aqueous swelling studies to measure the effect of crosslinking density. FTIR showed successful conversion of carbonyl and amine groups, and TGA analysis confirmed the presence of PAC within the network. Surface characterization also confirmed carbon-rich areas within composite networks, and the swelling ratio decreased with increasing crosslinking density. Finally, sorption of PFAS was detected via liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), with removal efficiencies of up to 98% for perfluorooctanoic sulfonic acid (PFOS) and 96% for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The developed hydrogel composites exhibited great potential as advanced materials with tunable levers that can increase affinity towards specific compounds in water.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2023
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15224384
Funding Information
This research is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant number P42ES007380. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Repository Citation
Klaus, Maria Victoria X.; Gutierrez, Angela M.; and Hilt, J. Zach, "Development of Poly(acrylamide)-Based Hydrogel Composites with Powdered Activated Carbon for Controlled Sorption of PFOA and PFOS in Aqueous Systems" (2023). UK CARES Faculty Publications. 81.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ukcares_facpub/81
Notes/Citation Information
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).