View article

Trace Organic Contaminants (TrOCs), such as pharmaceuticals and per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), have been increasingly detected in water supplies. These compounds, which expose humans to a series of potential health effects even at ng/L levels, are poorly removed by conventional wastewater treatment processes. Investment in new treatment technologies will be crucial for water utilities to meet growing regulations. Adsorption is among the most promising techniques for removing organic compounds from WWTPs, but the conventional adsorbents applied in treatment, GAC and IX resins, are limited by their cost of implementation and reusability. New classes of materials have shown promise as next-generation adsorbents, including porous cyclodextrin-based polymers.