Efficient Detection and Removal of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Using Cyclodextrin-Modified Cellulose.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent environmental pollutants.
• Efficient methods for PAH detection and removal are crucial for environmental remediation.
• Cellulose and cyclodextrins are biocompatible materials with potential for functionalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dual-function material for both PAH removal and proximity-induced energy transfer.
• To investigate the covalent functionalization of cellulose with β-cyclodextrin.
• To evaluate the material's efficiency in PAH sequestration and energy transfer processes.

Main Methods:

• Covalent functionalization of cellulose using succinic acid-promoted cross-linking with β-cyclodextrin.
• Characterization of the functionalized material's cyclodextrin density.
• Assessing PAH removal from aqueous solutions via non-covalent binding.
• Measuring proximity-induced energy transfer from PAH donors to squaraine fluorophore acceptors.

Main Results:

• Achieved high functionalization density (0.17 μg/mm²) of cyclodextrin on cellulose.
• Demonstrated efficient energy transfer up to 58% (anthracene donor/squaraine acceptor).
• Removed up to 91% of pyrene from aqueous solution.
• The material exhibits dual functionality for PAH remediation and sensing.

Conclusions:

• The developed cellulose-β-cyclodextrin material shows high performance in both PAH removal and energy transfer.
• This dual-functionality offers significant potential for environmental remediation and sensing applications.
• The method provides a promising approach for addressing PAH contamination in aqueous environments.