The widespread contamination of water resources by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) presents a critical environmental challenge due to their extreme persistence and the limited efficacy of conventional adsorbents in capturing short-chain variants. This study showcases a novel surface modification of activated carbon (AC) using surfactants containing cationic groups to synergistically enhance PFAS removal capacity.

By integrating cationic groups, we introduce dual-mode adsorption mechanisms: electrostatic attraction between the positively charged head and anionic PFAS heads, and hydrophobic partitioning between the long-chain aliphatic tails of the modifier and the fluorinated PFAS backbone.

Comparative PFOA/PFOS removal performance studies demonstrate that the treated AC significantly outperforms pristine AC, with enhanced performance to levels that the output water has less than 4 ppt for both PFOA and PFOS. Characterization via Charge potential measurements show the presence of cationic groups.

Our results indicate a substantial increase in ...