(368bc) Advanced Materials Based on Magnetic Nanoparticles, Polymers, and Their Nanocomposites for Applications Spanning Virus Inactivation to PFAS Remediation

Research Interests: Hydrogels, Nanoparticles, Drug Delivery, Formulation, Process Development, Therapeutics, Environmental Sustainability

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), hydrogel nanocomposites, and polymer flocculants can provide innovative solutions for environmental and biomedical challenges. MNPs, sized similarly to many biological molecules, easily interact with them. When exposed to an alternating magnetic field (AMF), MNPs absorb energy and convert it to heat, enabling localized energy utilization to improve material performance, disrupt binding interactions, manipulate biological systems, and more. On the other hand, the capacity of linear and crosslinked polymers to be tailored for specific applications has gained significant attention from researchers. In this context, we will delineate two distinct applications: the use of MNPs for virus inactivation and the utilization of smart polymer flocculants or nanocomposite hydrogels with MNPs for the remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Exposure of dispersed MNPs to AMF was investigated for the application of virus inactivation. We examined the effects of MNPs with an AMF and with a water bath (WB) on vesicular stomatitis virus pseudo-particles containing SARS-CoV-2 S protein at three target steady-state temperatures and varying exposure times. For multiple treatment regimes, AMF exposures were more effective than WB treatments at inactivating the virus. In another example, we investigated the ability of hydrogel nanocomposites and polymer flocculants to remove PFAS from water. Persistent PFAS production continues to pose environmental challenges, linked to various health risks such as dyslipidemia, birth defects, and cancer. Existing remediation methods for PFAS in water sources have drawbacks, particularly in regeneration. Therefore, there is a critical need for innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable removal technologies. In response to this, we synthesized fluorinated magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites and fluorinated co-monomer modified N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm)-based smart polymer flocculants. Aqueous sorption studies of PFAS were performed to determine the affinity of two long-chain PFAS compounds, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanoic sulfonic acid (PFOS), and two short-chain PFAS, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS). Significant binding of PFAS was found with both hydrogel nanocomposites and smart polymer flocculants.