Category
Applied
Description
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic organic fluorinated compounds found in many goods used by the average consumer and the industry alike, namely water-repellent textiles, paints, waxes, and aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) (1). Their versatility and wide range of applications have led to their extensive use within different aspects of life. The specific structure of the carbon-fluoride bonds within these compounds is responsible for their invaluable use; this design makes them highly resistant to degradation and persistent within the environment. PFAS concentrations are particularly high in drinking water because of their high solubility and resistance to common purification methods (2). Contamination and the widespread presence of PFAS have led to many health issues, such as altered immune and thyroid function, liver disease, adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes, and cancer (3).
Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPS) are molecules that can be designed to form artificial binding sites to recognize specific chemical or biological target sequences (4). The application of MIPs to bind to PFAS has already been reported (9). This proposal outlines the synthesis of fluorinated molecular imprinted polymers (fMIPs) using two novel crosslinking monomers designed to bind to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). The proposed polymer will be capable of binding PFAS compounds as well as self-associating to form aggregates around the PFAS, allowing for easier purification. The non-specific binding behavior of PFAS will be evaluated using a non-imprinted polymer. The binding affinity of the fMIP will be assessed by HPLC/MS, while selectivity and sensitivity will be analyzed using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM).
Synthesis of Fluorinated Crosslinking Monomer for Molecular Imprinted Polymer Against PFAS
Applied
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic organic fluorinated compounds found in many goods used by the average consumer and the industry alike, namely water-repellent textiles, paints, waxes, and aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) (1). Their versatility and wide range of applications have led to their extensive use within different aspects of life. The specific structure of the carbon-fluoride bonds within these compounds is responsible for their invaluable use; this design makes them highly resistant to degradation and persistent within the environment. PFAS concentrations are particularly high in drinking water because of their high solubility and resistance to common purification methods (2). Contamination and the widespread presence of PFAS have led to many health issues, such as altered immune and thyroid function, liver disease, adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes, and cancer (3).
Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPS) are molecules that can be designed to form artificial binding sites to recognize specific chemical or biological target sequences (4). The application of MIPs to bind to PFAS has already been reported (9). This proposal outlines the synthesis of fluorinated molecular imprinted polymers (fMIPs) using two novel crosslinking monomers designed to bind to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). The proposed polymer will be capable of binding PFAS compounds as well as self-associating to form aggregates around the PFAS, allowing for easier purification. The non-specific binding behavior of PFAS will be evaluated using a non-imprinted polymer. The binding affinity of the fMIP will be assessed by HPLC/MS, while selectivity and sensitivity will be analyzed using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM).
