The project aims to: (1) synthesize at least twelve styrene-functionalized, cyclodextrin-based polymer (stydex polymers) derivatives and at least six covalent organic framework (COF) derivatives…

Cornell University received $1.54M in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development under the Innovative Water Technology Grant Program (CFDA 66.521) on November 1, 2025, for a four-year project concluding October 31, 2029. The project delivers mechanistic predictive models and validated treatment technologies for removing micropollutants—including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—from drinking water and wastewater using two novel adsorbent classes: styrene-functionalized cyclodextrin-based polymers (StyDex) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs). The research synthesizes at least twelve StyDex polymer derivatives and six COF derivatives with varying surface chemistry and physical properties, develops quantitative analytical methods for analyzing 40 diverse micropollutants in water, and experimentally evaluates adsorbent selectivity, performance, and mass-transfer characteristics through laboratory-scale batch and column studies performed at Cornell's Ithaca, New York campus.

Cornell's research team, supported by sub-awards to Northwestern University (synthesizing and characterizing adsorbent samples and scaling materials to kilogram quantities for column testing) and North Carolina State University (developing mechanistic adsorption models and conducting pilot-scale validation studies), delivers fixed-bed adsorption models predictive of full-scale water treatment performance. The project validates model performance through rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs) and pilot-scale column studies, generating quantitative parameters describing adsorption kinetics, selectivity, adsorption capacity, and mass-transfer limitations essential for engineering treatment systems using these novel adsorbents at operational scales.

The project aims to: (1) synthesize at least twelve styrene-functionalized, cyclodextrin-based polymer (stydex polymers) derivatives and at least six covalent organic framework (COF) derivatives that incorporate varying surface chemistry and physical properties; (2) select a set of micropollutants with diverse physicochemical properties and develop analytical methods for their quantification in water; (3) experimentally evaluate the selectivity and performance of the stydex polymers and cofs for the removal of micropollutants from water to extract mechanistic insights and quantitative parameters describing mass-transfer limitations, adsorption kinetics, selectivity, and adsorption capacity; (4) develop mechanistic models to predict micropollutant removal by stydex polymers and cofs in fixed-bed, flow-through columns representative of full-scale water treatment adsorption processes; and (5) perform rapid small-scale column tests (rsscts) and pilot-scale column studies to validate model performance.activities:the proposed work will develop mechanistic predictive models that describe micropollutant removal by two classes of novel adsorbents in fixed-bed, flow-through columns representative of full-scale water treatment adsorption processes. Styrene-functionalized, cyclodextrin-based polymers (stydex) and covalent organic frameworks (COF) are selected as the novel adsorbent classes for this project. A preliminary set of 40 micropollutants from a variety of use-classes that represent diverse physicochemical properties including charge at near-neutral PH values, molecular volume, and hydrophobicity have been selected. Among the selected micropollutants are ten per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) relevant for drinking water and wastewater treatment. Laboratory-scale experiments will be performed to evaluate the performance of each of the stydex and COF derivatives and extract mechanistic insights and quantitative parameters describing mass-transfer limitations, adsorption kinetics, selectivity, and adsorption capacity. Binary- and ternary-solute experiments as well as experiments with water matrix constituents including natural organic matter (NOM) and major inorganic ions will also be conducted to assess adsorbent selectivity and the effects of competition among micropollutants and with water matrix constituents. Data from the laboratory experiments will be used to inform model selection and the parameterization of selected models to describe micropollutant removal by stydex polymers and cofs in fixed-bed, flow-through columns representative of full-scale water treatment adsorption processes. Finally, we will use the mechanistic models to design rapid small-scale column theory (rssct) experiments and a pilot-scale study at a drinking water utility to develop data that can be used to validate our mechanistic models. Subrecipient:northwestern university ($315,783 federal funds + $170,713 cost-share= $486,496 total) will synthesize novel adsorbents as described in objective 1 of the research proposal. Objective 1 is described to: synthesize at least twelve styrene-functionalized, cyclodextrin-based polymer (stydex) derivatives and at least six covalent organic framework (COF) derivatives that incorporate (a) surface functional groups that impart variable charge and (b) can be synthesized at kilogram scale with (c) defined morphology to support laboratory-scale experiments, pilot-scale testing, and model development. North carolina state university ($200,000 federal funds + $107,693 cost-share= $307,693 total) will develop mechanistic models and lead the pilot-scale study as described in objective 4 and objective 5 of the research proposal. Objective 4 is described to: development of mechanistic models using data from laboratory-scale experiments to (a) parameterize mechanistic models that can describe fixed-bed, flow-through column configurations representative of full-scale treatment unit operations and (b) make