Superfund Research Program

July 2022

Hot Publication

New membranes synthesized by researchers at the University of Kentucky SRP Center can improve the removal of PFAS in drinking water.

PFAS are a class of widely used and extremely persistent chemicals associated with a variety of negative health outcomes in humans. The removal of PFAS presents a challenge for drinking water providers.

Commonly used water filtering technologies, such as those that rely on carbon or resins to capture contaminants, cannot remove smaller PFAS molecules and can also potentially produce harmful byproducts. In addition, typical adsorption materials become saturated and need to be replaced frequently, impacting their sustainability.

In this study, the researchers synthesized microfiltration membranes that can hold materials within their pores. A synthetic polymeric nanofiltration membrane allows the pores to decrease in size and trap even small PFAS particles. This water purification method allows PFAS to get stuck in the membrane and separate from the water.

A disadvantage of nanofiltration membranes is that a percentage of the water does not pass through the membrane. When this remaining water is contaminated with PFAS, it needs to be treated before it can be discharged. To overcome this limitation, the team added a sponge-like thin film as a top layer, thereby creating a system that can more efficiently adsorb PFAS.

The researchers observed that their membranes successfully separated small and large PFAS molecules from water. According to the authors, this system shows promise as a sustainable water treatment process for PFAS.

To learn more, please refer to the following sources:

  • Leniz-Pizarro F, Vogler RJ, Sandman P, Harris N, Ormsbee LE, Liu C, Bhattacharyya D. 2022. Dual-functional nanofiltration and adsorptive membranes for PFAS and organics separation from water. ACS ES&T Wat 2(5):863-872. doi:10.1021/acsestwater.2c00043