Disclosed herein is a method of treating an aqueous solution containing impurities including a perfluoroalkyl substance and/or a polyfluoroalkyl substance, comprising introducing the aqueous solution into a batch or semi-batch photocatalytic reactor with a microparticulate catalyst configured to reduce chain length of the perfluoroalkyl substance and/or polyfluoroalkyl substance, forming a treated aqueous stream, the reactor including a catalyst flow controller configured to automatically increase the catalyst concentration in the reactor while agitating the catalyst-containing solution during reaction, and removing catalyst particles from the treated aqueous stream to form a purified aqueous stream. In some cases, the feed to the reactor is atomized. Corresponding systems also are disclosed.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for catalytic removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water and wastewater. The system and methods utilize a catalyst film and a biofilm to synergystically remove PFAS from water. In some aspects, the catalyst film reduces and defluorinates PFAS into less fluorinated counterparts of PFAS, and the biofilm metabolizes the less fluroinated counterparts of PFAS into CO.sub.2 or shorter chain PFAS.

A contaminant-sequestering coating includes a network of hydrolyzed silane compounds. The hydrolyzed silane compounds include a hydrophilic polar head region, a hydrophobic linker, and an anchor region including a silicon atom. The network of hydrolyzed silane compounds is devoid or substantially devoid of fluorine atoms. Methods of destroying one or more perfluoroalkyl and/or polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) compounds present in a contaminant-containing liquid are also provided.

The invention relates to the extraction of organic compounds from mixtures of said compounds with water, using a nanoporous carbon membrane. The invention can be used in any field where it is desired to separate an organic compound of interest from water, such as the drying of alcohols or alkanes.

In one aspect, separation media are described herein operable for removing one or more water contaminants including NOM and derivatives thereof. Briefly, a separation medium includes a nanoparticle support and an oligomeric stationary phase forming a film on individual nanoparticles of the support, the film having thickness of 1 to 100 nm. In some embodiments, oligomeric chains of the stationary phase are covalently bonded to the individual nanoparticles.

The invention relates to the development of a carrier material providing high surface area for biofilm formation in wastewater treatment plants and a carrier material surface modification method for accelerating and enriching biofilm formation.

This invention relates to a process for treating acid mine drainage (AMD). The process includes the steps of adjusting the pH of the AMD to be in the range of 3 to 5; adding maghemite nanoparticles to form a slurry; and a) aerating the slurry obtained in step 3), or b) simultaneously heating and mixing the slurry obtained in step 3). Thereafter maghemite nanoparticles loaded with one or more metals and sulphate and precipitated metals is separated from the slurry.

The disclosure relates to devices and systems for configurable, contaminant-specific water filtration and treatment under pressure. In particular, the disclosure relates to a contaminant-specific configurable and modular water filter and a water filtration system maintained under positive or negative pressure, comprising modular housings, each housing defining a plurality of reconfigurable compartments operable to accommodate contaminant-specific filtering units in an order configured to minimize pressure drop along the flow direction of the water.

A titanium sub-oxide/ruthenium oxide composite electrode and a preparation method and application thereof. Titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotubes is taken as a bottom layer, and titanium sub-oxide doped ruthenium oxide is taken as a surface composite active layer. A titanium substrate is anodized in a fluorine-containing ionic electrolyte, taken out, subjected to heating and roasting, cooled and then subjected to cathodic electrochemical reduction in polarizing liquid, so that a titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotube electrode is obtained; and then the titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotube electrode is taken as a cathode to be electrodeposited in a ruthenium trichloride electrolyte doped with titanium sub-oxide powder, taken out and then subjected to heating and roasting, so that the titanium sub-oxide/ruthenium oxide composite electrode is obtained.

Composite materials for removing hydrophobic components from a fluid include a porous matrix polymer, carbon nanotubes grafted to surfaces of the porous matrix polymer, and polystyrene chains grafted to the carbon nanotubes. Examples of porous matrix polymer include polyurethanes, polyethylenes, and polypropylenes. Membranes of the composite material may be enclosed within a fluid-permeable pouch to form a fluid treatment apparatus, such that by contacting the apparatus with a fluid mixture containing water and a hydrophobic component, the hydrophobic component absorbs selectively into the membrane. The apparatus may be removed from the fluid mixture and reused after the hydrophobic component is expelled from the membrane. The composite material may be prepared by grafting functionalized carbon nanotubes to a porous matrix polymer to form a polymer-nanotube composite, then polymerizing styrene onto the carbon nanotubes of the polymer-nanotube composite.