POS9-0302
High-performance loose RO membranes via DMSO activation for PFAS removal
Topic
S9. Polymer Technology for Sustainability
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Heesuk KIM
Jinhye BAE
Presenter(s)
Mingyu Kim (Korea university)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants that pose environmental concerns. Although membrane separation is effective for PFAS removal, reverse osmosis (RO) membranes require high operating pressures, whereas nanofiltration (NF) membranes often exhibit insufficient rejection of short-chain PFAS. Therefore, developing membranes that combine high permeability with PFAS rejection remains a critical challenge. Herein, we report a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-activated loose RO membrane for PFAS removal. DMSO treatment induced structural rearrangement of the polyamide layer, enhancing water transport while maintaining size-selective separation. The membrane exhibited stable rejection of long-chain PFAS and enhanced removal of short-chain PFAS with higher permeability than conventional RO membranes. These results demonstrate that DMSO activation enables the fabrication of high-performance loose RO membranes that bridge the gap between RO and NF membranes.
