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Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Water Treatment—2nd Edition

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A Special Issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360) belonging to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 4508

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Editors

Dr. Zhiwei Wang

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Guangxi Key Laboratory of Clean Pulp & Papermaking and Pollution Control, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
Interests: wastewater treatment; functional materials of microbial fuel cell electrode; bioaugmentation technique; polymers and the environment
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Dr. Tongtong Wang

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Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation Research, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
Interests: water treatment; photocatalysis; adsorption; environmental functional materials; new pollutant removal; biochar and semiconductors; environmental engineering; mathematical models
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Dr. Jian Zhang

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College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
Interests: Water Treatment; Granulation; Anaerobic digestion; Environmental Engineering; Nutrient removal.
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Prof. Dr. Yanzhu Guo

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Guest Editor

Liaoning Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
Interests: flocculation; water treatment; biomass-based adsorbent; amphoteric polymers; lignin-based flocculants; quantum dots; sensors for wastewater analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water pollution has become one of the greatest threats to the ecological environment and human health. Polymer materials show great potential in wastewater treatment because of their unique physical and chemical properties, such as large molecular weight, controllable structure, large surface area, and easy modification. With the rapid development of materials science, new polymer materials, such as flocculants, scale inhibitors, functional filtration membranes, ion-exchange resins, selective adsorption materials, modified functional fibers, and nanocomposite materials and hybrid nanomaterials, show great potential in microbial fuel cell electrodes. Functional polymer materials are widely used in the field of wastewater pollution control.
Based on the above information, this Special Issue (SI) will focus on recent advances in functional polymer materials for water treatment. It aims to provide a platform for researchers to disseminate recent advances in the fundamental science and technology of polymeric materials for their application to water treatment. The submission of high-quality original articles, review articles, case studies, and short communications related to the following areas is encouraged:

Polymeric coagulants and adsorbents for water purification;
Polymeric separation membranes and ion-exchange resins for water treatment and reuse;
Polymeric materials for enhancing biological water treatment (filler, bioaugmentation agents, etc.);
Polymeric materials for use as water treatment equipment, anti-scale agents, scale removal, corrosion inhibition, and the suppression of bacteria and algae;
The fabrication, modification, and characterization of polymeric materials for water treatment;
Other polymeric material-related applications for pollutant removal and detection in water (filtration, catalytic oxidation, electrodes, sensors, etc.).

Dr. Zhiwei Wang
Dr. Tongtong Wang
Dr. Jian Zhang
Prof. Dr. Yanzhu Guo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

functional polymer materials for water treatment
polymers and the environment
polymer adsorption material
polymer coagulants
polymer ion-exchange resins
membrane material for wastewater treatment
polymeric functional electrode material
polymeric anti-scale agents

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Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Water Treatment in Polymers (11 articles)

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Research

14 pages, 22413 KB

Open AccessArticle

Rapid and Reversible Capture of PFOS from Complex Water Matrices by an Earth-Abundant Iron(III)–Carboxylate Metal–Organic Framework

by Haoming Yang and Yuan Yu

Polymers 2026, 18(17), 2171; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18172171 - 5 Sep 2026

Viewed by 428

Abstract

Background: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a globally recognised persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic pollutant. Under China GB 5749-2022 and the US EPA 2024 drinking water MCL, permissible levels have fallen to 40 ng L⁻¹ and 4 ng L⁻¹, respectively, placing unprecedented demands on remediation technologies. Methods: An iron(III)–carboxylate metal–organic framework prepared from low-cost precursors (denoted MOF-LC, [Fe₃O(BDC)₃Cl]·x(solvent)) was synthesised via a one-pot solvothermal route from FeCl₃·6H₂O and terephthalic acid (H₂BDC). The material was characterised by PXRD, N₂ adsorption, FTIR, TGA, XPS, elemental analysis and ICP-OES. Adsorption performance was evaluated under varying initial concentrations, contact times, pH values, coexisting inorganic anions (Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, PO₄³⁻) and humic acid backgrounds, and by a panel of six water matrices. Results: MOF-LC exhibited a BET surface area of 1528 m² g⁻¹ and a dominant pore centred at 1.9 nm, which is geometrically compatible with the 1.36 nm molecular length of PFOS. Adsorption reached ≈95% of equilibrium capacity within 30 min and was best described by the pseudo-second-order model (R² = 0.998). Measured uptake reached 800.6 mg g⁻¹ at 298 K, corresponding to a Langmuir maximum capacity of 802 mg g⁻¹ (note that all adsorption experiments were conducted at mg L⁻¹ concentrations, several orders of magnitude above the regulatory limits cited above). Removal exceeded 88% across all six water matrices. PFOS removal efficiency fell from 99.2% to 85.8% over seven adsorption–regeneration cycles using a 1% NH₄Cl/methanol eluent, with 90.6% of the initial BET surface area retained and Fe leaching below 45 µg L⁻¹. Conclusions: Electrostatic, hydrophobic and pore confinement contributions are proposed as cooperative interpretations consistent with the observations. MOF-LC is identified as a technically promising laboratory-scale sorbent for PFOS removal from complex water matrices. Performance at environmentally relevant ng L⁻¹ concentrations and economic viability at scale remain to be established. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Water Treatment—2nd Edition)

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30 pages, 18661 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating Green Chemistry and Analytical Spectroscopy for Brilliant Blue G Removal Using Amberlite XAD7HP Resin

by Nicoleta Mirela Marin, Toma Galaon, Adriana Mariana Borș, Ludmila Motelica, Otilia Ruxandra Radacina, Marian Rascov and Ovidiu Oprea

Polymers 2026, 18(14), 1763; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18141763 - 19 Jul 2026

Viewed by 478

Abstract

This work presents an integrated green chemistry and analytical approach for the removal of Brilliant Blue G (BBG) using the non-ionic poly(acrylate) resin Amberlite XAD7HP (XAD7HP), emphasizing structure–property–performance relationships relevant to the resin’s adsorption behavior. The UV–Vis method used for BBG quantification exhibited excellent linearity in the 10–30 mg/L range (R² = 0.9998). Batch adsorption experiments performed over 15–800 mg/L revealed a well-defined saturation profile, with the Langmuir model providing the best fit (R² = 0.9999) and indicating a monolayer capacity of 117 mg/g and highly favorable adsorption (R_L = 0.001). Kinetic evaluation showed rapid initial uptake followed by intraparticle diffusion, with the pseudo-second-order model offering the highest correlation (R² = 0.9811), while Weber–Morris analysis confirmed the contributions of both film and pore diffusion. FTIR-ATR analysis revealed only minor shifts (<10 cm⁻¹) in characteristic bands, confirming physisorption driven by hydrogen bonding, π–π interactions, dipole–dipole forces, and hydrophobic effects, without structural modification of the resin. SEM/EDX imaging demonstrated significant morphological changes after adsorption, including partial pore blockage and deposition of dye aggregates within the meso–macroporous network. XRD patterns confirmed the structural stability of the resin, while TG-DSC analysis highlighted its thermal robustness and suitability for reuse. Desorption studies showed that acidic–alcoholic systems (MeOH–HCl, EtOH–HCl) ensured the highest BBG recovery, supporting the regenerability of XAD7HP. Overall, the combined spectroscopic, kinetic, equilibrium, and morphological evidence demonstrates that XAD7HP is a stable, efficient, and reusable resin for BBG removal, offering a sustainable remediation pathway aligned with green analytical chemistry principles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Water Treatment—2nd Edition)

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33 pages, 13330 KB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Circular Water Treatment: Adsorption Mechanism and Analytical Characterization of Metformin Retention on Amberlite XAD7HP Resin

by Valentin Romeo Marin, Nicoleta Mirela Marin, Toma Galaon, Adriana Mariana Borș, Ludmila Motelica, Otilia Ruxandra Radacina, Marian Rascov and Ovidiu Oprea

Polymers 2026, 18(14), 1751; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18141751 - 17 Jul 2026

Viewed by 634

Abstract

This study evaluates the adsorption, structural characterization, and regeneration performance of acrylic resin Amberlite XAD7HP (X7) for the removal of metformin (MET), an emerging pharmaceutical contaminant. MET concentrations after adsorption were quantified using the linear UV–Vis method at 232 nm (R² = 0.9998). Adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model (R² =0.9881), and equilibrium data fitted the Langmuir isotherm, confirming monolayer adsorption. Desorption experiments showed that acidic media were ineffective (<10%), whereas the mixed (1:1) MeOH–1M HCl system achieved 89.3% MET recovery, enabling efficient resin desorption. FTIR confirmed MET retention through attenuation of N–H stretching bands at 3360–3290 cm⁻¹, the shift of the C=N vibration from 1628 cm⁻¹ to 1605 cm⁻¹, and the appearance of a new band at 1542 cm⁻¹, indicating hydrogen bonding and dipole–dipole interactions with the resin. SEM micrographs revealed a clear transition from the X7, rough morphology to a smoother, partially occluded surface after adsorption, consistent with pore filling by MET. EDX analysis further confirmed MET uptake through the appearance of a distinct N signal and increased O content, serving as elemental markers of drug adsorption. TG/DSC demonstrated enhanced thermal stability and modified decomposition profiles for the resin loaded with MET, while XRD patterns confirmed the amorphous nature of X7 and the absence of crystalline MET deposits, indicating molecular-level dispersion. The integrated analytical, structural, kinetic, and desorption results highlight the potential of desorbed acrylic resin as a sustainable material for mitigating pharmaceutical pollution in aquatic environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Water Treatment—2nd Edition)

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33 pages, 4258 KB

Open AccessArticle

Congo Red–Functionalized Maize Stalk for Fe³⁺, Cr³⁺ and Mn²⁺ Adsorption: Multi-Analytical Characterization of Interaction Mechanisms

by Nicoleta Mirela Marin, Toma Galaon, Adriana Mariana Borș, Roxana Doina Trusca, Ludmila Motelica and Ovidiu Oprea

Polymers 2026, 18(13), 1600; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18131600 - 27 Jun 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 468

Abstract

This study examines the adsorption and interaction mechanisms of Congo red (CR) immobilized onto maize stalk (MS) to form MS-CR material, used for the removal of Fe³⁺, Cr³⁺, and Mn²⁺ (Mⁿ⁺) from aqueous media. Initially, the MS was functionalized with CR, achieving adsorption capacities between 41.4 and 48.0 mg/g across pH 2–10, confirming the formation of hydrogen bonding and aromatic interactions, as indicated by the shift of the OH band from 3338.91 to 3335.54 cm⁻¹ and the appearance of characteristic azo–aromatic peaks (1601–1506 cm⁻¹) in the FTIR spectra. Stability tests showed that CR remains anchored to the lignocellulosic matrix even under 2 M HCl/NaOH. Subsequently, adsorption experiments revealed a strong pH dependence: at pH 10, removal efficiencies reached 93% for Mn²⁺, 89% for Fe³⁺, and 72% for Cr³⁺ at 2 mg/L, driven by surface deprotonation and enhanced electrostatic attraction. Increasing the initial metal concentration (1–10 mg/L) led to maximum adsorption capacities of 2.00 mg/g for Fe³⁺, 1.64 mg/g for Cr³⁺, and 1.46 mg/g for Mn²⁺. Desorption experiments identified 0.5 M HCl as the optimal regenerating agent, achieving 90–97% metal release. FTIR analysis of MS-CR–Mn²⁺ showed the disappearance of the 1243 cm⁻¹ carboxyl band and the emergence of a metal–oxygen vibration at 559.37 cm⁻¹, confirming adsorption via coordination to deprotonated carboxyl and phenolic groups. TG/DSC/DTG analysis demonstrated improved stability of MS-CR compared to native MS. SEM/EDX confirmed the presence of S, Na, and Mⁿ⁺. The combined spectroscopic, microscopic, and thermal evidence demonstrates that MS-CR operates as a robust, multifunctional adsorbent capable of Mⁿ⁺ retention, offering a sustainable solution for water treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Water Treatment—2nd Edition)

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17 pages, 3667 KB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing the Water Flux and Antifouling Properties of PES Membranes via the Construction of a Bimetallic Polyphenol Network

by Yubin Lin, Xiaoxue Xiao, Wenqiang Deng, Wei Mao, Cui Wei and Jinghong Zhou

Polymers 2026, 18(11), 1326; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18111326 - 27 May 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 566

Abstract

High-performance polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes integrating antibacterial activity and antifouling performance were fabricated via the in situ construction of bimetallic polyphenol networks (BMPNs) throughout the membrane architecture. Tannic acid (TA) functioned as a multifunctional molecular bridge, functionalizing silver metal–organic frameworks (Ag-MOFs) to yield hydrophilic T-Ag-MOFs and chelating Fe³⁺ ions from the coagulation bath to form a polyphenol network during phase inversion. T-Ag-MOF incorporation generated asymmetric morphologies featuring highly porous surfaces and sponge-like cross-sections, improving pure water permeability, mechanical integrity, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection. TA-mediated functionalization increased hydrophilicity, imparted a negative surface charge, suppressed nonspecific protein adhesion, and enhanced flux recovery with low irreversible fouling. At an optimal loading of 0.4 wt%, the resultant T-Ag-MOF/Fe³⁺/PES composite membrane achieved a pure water permeability of 593.4 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹—1.77-fold higher than that of the pristine PES control—while sustaining a BSA rejection of 96.5%. Notably, interfacial compatibility between the T-Ag-MOFs and PES matrix was enhanced, facilitating strong, covalent-like filler–matrix adhesion. Moreover, the composite membrane delivered synergistic multifunctionality, including exceptional long-term aqueous stability, precisely tuned Ag⁺ release kinetics, and potent antibacterial activity, as evidenced by negligible uncontrolled ion leaching and a lack of structural degradation under prolonged hydration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Water Treatment—2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 3311 KB

Open AccessArticle

Green Synthesis of Zwitterionic–Cyclodextrin Hybrid Polymer for Efficient Extraction of Polypeptides: Combination of Instrumental Analysis and DFT Calculation

by Xiaoyun Lei, Xin Wang, Yuzhe Cao, Bingxing Ren, Yanyan Peng and Hanghang Zhao

Polymers 2025, 17(18), 2524; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182524 - 18 Sep 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1133

Abstract

Adhering to the principles of green analytical chemistry (GAC) is crucial for advancing sample pretreatment. In this work, we developed a green in-tube solid-phase microextraction (IT-SPME) material utilizing non-toxic cyclodextrin and zwitterionic polymers as co-functioning monomers. The hybrid monolithic material was synthesized within 38 min via an efficient epoxy ring-opening reaction and free radical polymerization. Comprehensive characterization confirmed a rigid framework with strong anti-swelling properties, good permeability, and high enrichment efficiency on the polymers. When coupled with HPLC-UV, the optimized IT-SPME method enabled highly sensitive detection of polypeptides (vancomycin and teicoplanin) in aqueous matrices, achieving detection limits as low as 15.0–20.0 μg L⁻¹, a wide linear range (60–800 μg L⁻¹, R² > 0.99), and good precision (RSDs = 5.9–8.2%). The prepared material demonstrated remarkable performance in real complex water samples, achieving recovery rates of up to 95.4%. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the adsorption mechanism primarily involves hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. This study presents an effective approach for the development of green chemical synthesis of extraction materials and offers a sustainable platform for monitoring trace contaminants in environmental waters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Water Treatment—2nd Edition)

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