Project description
Switchable smart hydrogels to sustainably remove ‘forever chemicals’
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as ‘forever chemicals’, are persistent, toxic pollutants frequently found in water sources. Conventional removal methods are often poorly selective, inefficient for short-chain PFAS, and require energy-intensive regeneration processes. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the Switch-PFAS project aims to develop an effective PFAS treatment technology that is selective, regenerable and cost-effective. To do so, it will create smart, temperature-responsive hydrogels featuring switchable surfaces that exploit the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of long- and short-chain PFAS for their selective removal. The technology’s switchable functionality, combined with integrated photothermal agents that enable solar-powered energy switching, allows for sustainable, low-cost capture and release of pollutants.
Objective
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called “forever chemicals”, are persistent and toxic pollutants widely detected in water, while conventional adsorbents struggle with low selectivity, poor short-chain PFAS removal, and energy-intensive regeneration. This project introduces a smart, temperature-responsive hydrogel platform that exploits the intrinsic hydrophobicity of long-chain PFAS and hydrophilicity of short-chain PFAS for their selective removal. Integration of photothermal materials will enable solar-driven, zero-energy switching without extra heating energy. Around the lower critical solution temperature (LCST, ~32 °C), the hydrogel surface has switchable characteristics: above LCST, the surface turns to hydrophobic to capture long-chain PFAS while releasing short-chain species; below LCST, the surface transforms to hydrophilic to adsorb short-chain PFAS and release long-chain ones. This principle allows selective and effective removal of both long- and short-chain PFAS. The introduction of fluorinated and cationic monomers could catch the fluorinated alkyl tail and the anionic head of PFAS via fluorophilic and electrostatic interactions , respectively, thereby enhancing the selective capture of PFAS by smart hydrogels. Machine learning will guide optimal monomer combinations, accelerate synthesis and optimize performance. Scalable formats (beads, membranes) will be validated in real-water continuous-flow tests with techno-economic analysis. By combining material science, computational modelling, environmental engineering, and sustainability assessment, this project will deliver a selective, regenerable, and cost-effective PFAS treatment technology, supporting EU Green Deal and Zero Pollution goals, and providing a transferable framework for the development of smart adsorbents targeting diverse pollutants.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
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.