Enhanced Adsorption of Short-Chain PFAS (PFBS) on Metal-Impregnated Activated Carbon
Ben Zobel Paper Science and Chemical Engineering
Michael Lilla (Not Pictured) Paper Science and Chemical Engineering
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent and toxic contaminants that have raised significant environmental and health concerns. Among them, short-chain PFAS, such as perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), are increasingly used as alternatives to long-chain PFAS due to their lower bioaccumulation potential. However, PFBS remains highly mobile in water and difficult to remove using conventional treatment methods. This study investigates the adsorption performance of metal-impregnated activated carbon (AC) for PFBS removal from aqueous solutions. Three types of metal-modified activated carbon were synthesized by impregnating AC with silver (Ag), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu) at an equal metal-to-carbon mass ratio of 10 wt%. Before modification, all AC samples were prewashed with deionized water to remove surface impurities. The adsorption capacities of the prepared adsorbents were then determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to quantify PFBS concentrations before and after adsorption. The results demonstrate that iron- and copper-impregnated activated carbons exhibit substantially higher adsorption capacities for PFBS compared to both silver-impregnated and unmodified activated carbon. This enhanced adsorption is likely attributed to stronger interactions between PFBS functional groups and the metal sites on the AC surface, improving affinity toward the short-chain PFAS molecules.
Advisors: Seyed Javad Amirfakhri, Ph.D.
Subject Area: Chemistry
Type: Poster
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UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources
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