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Hydrophobic metal-organic adsorbents to decontaminate water from Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Project description

Hydrophobic metal-organic framework composites for water decontamination

The Stockholm Convention regulations on restricted contaminants in drinking water, removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a global goal. However, the traditional PFAS decontamination method relying on adsorption on granular activated carbon presents slow kinetics, interference during adsorption and high energy print of regeneration. Consequently, alternative energy efficient adsorbents relying on regenerable adsorption are required. The development of unexplored and new generations of hydrophobic metal-organic frameworks (HMOFs) and derived hybrid composites can provide a better solution for PFAS removal. The EU-funded HECTOR project will offer the project fellow training through studies on HMOF composites with surface fabrication and/or defect chemistry, custom designed PFAS decontamination-friendly columns, and simulation tools to map PFAS–adsorbent interactions.

Objective

Aligned with the United Nations SDGs 3 and 6: ‘Good Health and Well-being’ and ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’ respectively, and Stockholm convention regulations on restricted contaminants in drinking water, removal of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a global challenge of twenty-first century. Traditional PFAS decontamination involving adsorption on granular activated carbon (GAC) as state-of-the-art method suffers from slow kinetics, interference during adsorption and high energy footprint of regeneration. These pitfalls foster the search for alternative energy-efficient adsorbents that rely upon regenerable adsorption. Development of underexplored as well as new generations of hydrophobic metal-organic frameworks (HMOFs) and derived hybrid composites have the potential to provide a better solution for PFAS removal. Incisive structure-function insights on PFAS adsorbent design will lead to benchmark PFAS adsorbents a priori, stemming from porous and modularly built HMOFs. Optimization of operating conditions/adsorbent columns design will synergistically maximize PFAS removal efficiencies (quantitatively >2-3 times over GAC) in order to decrypt the key structural chemistry-PFAS adsorption relationships in three generations of HMOFs to enable them emerge as benchmark materials. Whereas my current research theme focuses upon ‘Physical chemistry and electrochemistry of metal-organic solids and surfaces’, I will complement my expertise by training through research mainly on a) hydrophobic MOF composites with surface fabrication and/or defect chemistry, b) custom-designed PFAS decontamination-friendly columns, c) simulation tools to map PFAS-adsorbent interactions during my MSCA IF at TU Munich. Long-term career goal set at being a world leader in Purification Chemistry, this fellowship will be decisive for me to achieve academic independence, aided by research career start-up grants leading to tenure track professorships within EU.

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

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Coordinator

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 174 806,40
Address
Arcisstrasse 21
80333 Muenchen
Germany

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Region
Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 174 806,40
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