en.Wedoany.com Report on Mar 26th, Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a renewable bio-based polymer membrane that can effectively capture toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, opening up a new direction for sustainable water treatment.
This bio-based polymer membrane is composed of nanofibers, hundreds of times thinner than a human hair. When in contact with water, the nanofibers absorb moisture and swell, forming a tightened network that rapidly captures and retains pollutants. Experiments show it can remove over 94% of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from water and maintain its performance after washing.
Dr. Xiang Ding, a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Applied Sustainable Innovation and Technology (iCAST) at the University of Bath, said: "We were surprised by how this material reacts in water. Traditional nylon materials change very little, but our bio-based nanofibers self-reorganize and tighten, thus efficiently capturing stubborn PFAS pollutants!"
Current methods for treating PFAS contamination, such as using electricity or microbial decomposition, are often costly and difficult to apply on a large scale. Traditional materials like activated carbon or ion-exchange resins can remove PFAS but require frequent replacement or complex regeneration processes. In contrast, this bio-based polymer membrane can capture half of the PFOA within one hour and can be regenerated via heat treatment, recovering up to 93% of its adsorption capacity for repeated use.
Dr. Ding added: "We used renewable furan-based building blocks to replace fossil-derived materials, demonstrating that high-performance PFAS removal can be combined with sustainable polymer design." The research team also includes Dr. Hannah Leese, Professor Matthew Davidson, and Dr. Carmelo Hedges. They plan to scale up the technology for practical testing, extend its application to other PFAS chemicals, and optimize the regeneration process.
This research provides a practical and circular solution for addressing PFAS pollution, supporting global sustainable water treatment goals. The work was funded by the England Research and Development Fund, EPSRC Catalysis Centre grants, and the University of Bath.
