MORE | Summer 2021

Removal of Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Water by Ion Exchange (IX)

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are toxic anthropogenic compounds widely used in the industry due to their stability, persistence, and repellency. One reliable mechanism recently adapted for the removal of the so-called “forever chemicals” from water is ion exchange (IX). The research team will evaluate the impact of different operating conditions on PFAS adsorption including anion exchange resin (AER) matrix composition, porosity, functional group, solution pH, and PFAS chain length and head group. This study also seeks to fill a key gap in the literature by comparing the effectiveness of weak-base to strong-base AER through a series of bench-scale batch experiments.