The Specific Removal of Perfluorooctanoic Acid Based on Pillar[5]arene-Polymer-Packed Nanochannel Membrane

ACS Nano. 2023 Oct 10;17(19):19305-19312. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06448. Epub 2023 Sep 28.

Abstract

The conspicuous surface activity and exceptional chemical stability of perfluorooctanoic acid, commonly referred to as PFOA, have led to its extensive utilization across a broad spectrum of industrial and commercial products. Nonetheless, significant concerns have arisen regarding the environmental presence of PFOAs, driven by their recognized persistence, bioaccumulative nature, and potential human health risks. In the realm of sustainable agriculture, a pivotal challenge revolves around the development of specialized materials capable of effectively and selectively eliminating PFOA from the environment. This study proposes harnessing the exceptional properties of a pillar[5]arene polymer to construct a nanochannel membrane filled with tryptophan-alanine dipeptide pillar[5]arene polymer. Through the functionalization of these nanochannel membranes, we achieved a PFOA removal rate of 0.01 mmol L-1 min-1, surpassing the rates observed with other control chemicals by a factor of 4.5-15. The research on PFOA removal materials has been boosted because of the creation of this highly selective PFOA removal membrane.

Keywords: green agriculture; nanochannel membrane; perfluorooctanoic acid; pillar[5]arene polymer; sustainable.