# Cationically Modified PVA-Based Electrospun Nanofiber Membrane for Adsorptive PFAS Removal from Water

## TL;DR

A new nanofiber membrane effectively removes harmful PFAS chemicals from water, even in complex conditions.

## Contribution

A cationically modified PVA-based electrospun nanofiber membrane is developed for efficient PFAS removal.

## Key findings

- The membrane achieved nearly 100% PFAS removal at 10 μg/L in deionized water.
- Adsorption occurred rapidly (within 60 seconds) and was unaffected by pH or natural organic matter.
- The membrane showed 90–100% PFAS removal effectiveness in stormwater.

## Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a diverse
range of
anthropogenic organic compounds, pose significant concerns to society
due to their potential harmful impacts on human health and ecosystems.
While there are other methods for removing PFAS from water, adsorption
remains a viable and efficient option. The present research reports
an adsorptive nanofiber membrane prepared through electrospinning
in the presence of poly­(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and a cationic surfactant,
cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), blended solution. This modified
PVA membrane was observed to achieve nearly 100% capture of all 10
target PFAS, each at 10 μg/L in deionized water. The pseudo-second-order
model most accurately represented the adsorption kinetics, characterized
by rapid adsorption (within 60 s). The Toth isotherm model effectively
fitted the isotherm data, indicating that the adsorption of PFAS onto
the membrane involved complex interactions. The hypothesized adsorption
mechanisms, including electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions,
were validated through detailed adsorption kinetics, isotherms, thermodynamic
analyses, and physicochemical characterization. Remarkably, the performance
of the modified system remained unaffected by variations in solution
pH and natural organic matter, while being slightly affected by ionic
strength, with 90–100% removal effectiveness of PFAS in stormwater.
This work highlights the significance of electrospun nanofiber membrane-based
adsorbents for the efficient removal of PFAS from real water.