Functionalization of Fiber Filters Towards Environmental Contaminant Capture

Environmental contaminants such as metals and halo-organic compounds pose global health challenges due to their persistence and toxicity. Industrial wastewater, a vehicle for such compounds, is of immediate interest due to its large-scale impact. Common remediation methods for contaminants such as heavy metal ions and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) consist of high-pressure membranes and anion exchange resins, which have high energy requirements. Conventional filters, when functionalized to target specific contaminants, show potential for capture and release under lower pressures - allowing for a more cost-effective approach to remediation. In this study, functionalized filters demonstrated increased capture of target molecules compared to its pristine counterpart.