Transforming Waste into Value: Eco-Friendly Synthesis of MOFs for Sustainable PFOA Remediation

Atef El Jery, Renzon Daniel Cosme Pecho, Meryelem Tania Churampi Arellano, Moutaz Aldrdery, Abubakr Elkhaleefa, Chongqing Wang (), Saad Sh. Sammen () and Hussam H. Tizkam
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Atef El Jery: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha 61411, Saudi Arabia
Renzon Daniel Cosme Pecho: Department of Biochemistry, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL), Lima 15001, Peru
Meryelem Tania Churampi Arellano: Department of Industrial Engineering, Universidad de Lima, Lima 15001, Peru
Moutaz Aldrdery: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha 61411, Saudi Arabia
Abubakr Elkhaleefa: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha 61411, Saudi Arabia
Chongqing Wang: School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Saad Sh. Sammen: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Diyala, Baqubah 10047, Iraq
Hussam H. Tizkam: Pharmacy Department, Al Safwa University College, Karbala 56001, Iraq

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-18

Abstract: In response to the need for sustainable solutions to address perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) contamination, we have developed an eco-friendly approach for synthesizing two types of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) using waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles via a one-pot microwave-assisted strategy. Our innovative method not only avoids the initial depolymerization of PET bottles but also promotes environmental conservation by recycling waste materials. The La-MOF and Zr-MOF materials exhibit remarkable surface areas of 76.90 and 293.50 m 2 /g, respectively, with La-MOF demonstrating greater thermal stability than Zr-MOF. The maximum experimental PFOA adsorption for La-MOF and Zr-MOF was obtained at 310 and 290 mg/g, respectively. Both MOFs follow the Langmuir isotherm closely, with the adsorption of PFOA following a pseudo-2nd-order kinetic model. In packed-bed column tests, breakthrough positions of 174 and 150 min were observed for La-MOF and Zr-MOF, respectively, with corresponding bed volumes of 452 mL and 522 mL based on the PFOA limit of 0.07 µg/L in drinking water. These findings indicate that these MOFs can be used in industrial packed-bed columns to remove PFOA from contaminated water sources in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Importantly, the sorption performance of the fabricated MOFs for PFOA remained stable, decreasing by less than 10% over seven cycles. This study underscores the potential of recycled PET bottles and the one-pot microwave-assisted synthesis of MOFs as an effective and environmentally friendly solution for PFOA remediation. This innovative approach has several managerial implications, such as the use of waste materials as a feedstock, which can reduce the cost of production and minimize environmental impact by promoting recycling and repurposing, enhancing the reputation of companies operating in the chemical industry, and improving their sustainability metrics. By integrating sustainability principles and waste recycling, our approach offers promising avenues for addressing PFOA contamination while promoting resource efficiency and environmental conservation.

Keywords: adsorption; PFOA removal; metal organic framework (MOF); water treatment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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