Session: Undergraduate Research Posters: Polymer Chemistry:

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are surfactants found in textiles, upholstery, and non-stick cookware. PFOA/PFOS are toxic to humans in many aspects. It has been shown to increase the risk of certain cancers, cause fertility problems, and lead to increased risk of preeclampsia. PFOA possesses remarkable stability that has led to its bioaccumulation in the environment. Because of its toxic, persistent nature, there is a need for a selective sensor to detect PFOA and PFOS concentrations in aqueous environments. This project focuses on synthesizing a fluorinated molecularly imprinted polymer (FMIP) from a novel crosslinking monomer. This polymer will bind PFOA or PFOS through interactions along its backbone which, like the target analytes, consists of carbon-fluorine bonds. This project will investigate the selectivity of this fluorinated polymer for PFOA and PFOS through the synthesis of a non-imprinted polymer (NIP). The binding affinity of PFOA and PFOS to the FMIP and the NIP will be analyzed in batch-rebinding assays. The assays will use GC-MS to quantify how much PFOA is bound to both the FMIP and the NIP with increasing analyte concentrations. A large difference in bound analyte for a range of free analyte concentrations between the FMIP and NIP will ensure the efficiency of the FMIP for analyte binding over a non-specific polymer. That difference is called the imprinting factor, or “IF.” Another important parameter is the selectivity factor, α, which is the ratio of FMIP binding to PFOA or PFOS to the corresponding perhydro analog (octanoic acid and n-octanesulfonic acid). The scientific community is beginning to address the problem of PFOA contamination and detection, and this material will eventually serve as a recognition element for a chemical sensor for selective and sensitive PFOA and PFOS detection.

Sean Durbin

Appearances