Rapid Removal of Poly- and Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances by Poly(ethylenimine)-Functionalized Cellulose Microcrystals at Environmentally Relevant Conditions

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in many consumer products and present serious environmental challenges due to their persistent nature. Currently, conventional water treatment methods fail to remove PFAS, and other newly proposed materials/techniques face challenges when employed under realistic conditions. This study reports on poly­(ethylenimine)-functionalized cellulose microcrystals (PEI-f-CMC) that showed a near-instant and high removal of PFAS under concentrations relevant to their actual occurrence in the natural environment (i.e.,