University of Utah researchers have developed a material that addresses an urgent environmental challenges: the efficient removal and real-time detection of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a toxic and persistent member of the PFAS “forever chemicals” family, from contaminated water.
In an industry-funded study published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C, Ling Zang, professor in the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and his research team introduced a dual-functional metal-organic framework (MOF) known as UiO-66-N(CH₃)₃⁺, a zirconium-based material known for its thermal and chemical stability.
This new MOF demonstrates exceptional capabilities in both PFOA adsorption and fluorescence-based detection; the MOF literally lights up when it binds to the pollutant, making it easier to quantify the scale of the problem and the rate and efficiency of remediation. The MOF also exhibits excellent reusability, as tested through repeated adsorption–desorption cycles. After each adsorption, the material could be readily regenerated by simple washing…