Interaction of perfluoroalkylated compounds with cyclodextrin matrices: a probe of sorption mechanisms using NMR spectroscopy (SORPFAS)

Applications of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are renowned amongst industries for wide-spread uses. however, PFAS are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” due to stabilities. This has led to PFAS travelling long distances and also bioaccumulation with detrimental health effects, with remediation strategies paramount whereby current sorbent materials have many disadvantages including low affinities and slow kinetics. Implementation of cyclodextrin could overcome these weaknesses, whereby cyclodextrin (CD) incorporates into its hydrophobic cavity many organic contaminants including PFAS. Development of CD nanosponges for remediation is hence a promising strategy, whereby understanding the mode of interactions is essential for development of new sorption materials. Through simplified strategies to understand and enhance this interaction, obtaining fast and in-depth structural analysis of the complexation states through state-of-the-art solid-state NMR experimental techniques with factor analysis approaches is suggested, supplemented with FTIR and DFT techniques.