Zeolite Composite Materials for the Simultaneous Removal of Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products, and Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances in Water Treatment
James Licato, Gregory D. Foster, Thomas B. Huff
Abstract
This investigation presents a method of simultaneous pharmaceuticals and personal care product (PPCP) and perfluorinated alkyl substance (PFAS) removal utilizing zeolite–sodium silicate composite materials. Sorption efficacy of five synthetic zeolite composites and one natural zeolite was tested through batch experimentation using two aqueous matrices: (1) a lab-controlled mixture of 21 PPCPs and PFASs and (2) wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) effluent samples collected from three locations and analyzed for a schedule of 84 PPCPs and 24 PFASs. Langmuir isotherm modeling was applied to calculate adsorption capacity and adsorption favorability. Between 44 and 58 PPCPs and 12 PFASs were detected in each WWTF matrix, with sum PPCP and PFAS concentrations ranging from 7.60 × 103 to 3.34 × 104 and 92–130 ng/L, respectively. Treatment with the zeolite composites resulted in a 72% average mass reduction of PFASs. Median adsorption capacities of the zeolite variants ranged from 13.6 to 18.3 mg/g. While the novel zeolite composite materials effectively removed both PPCPs and PFASs under controlled and real-world conditions, neither pore size, material hydrophobicity, nor any other single mechanism was found to predict adsorption efficacy.