Adsorption of Pharmaceutical Pollutants from Water Using Covalent Organic Frameworks

Capture of pharmaceutical pollutants from water was studied using a novel fluorine-bearing covalent organic framework TpBD-(CF3)(2), which showed ibuprofen adsorption capacity of 119 mg g(-1) at neutral pH. This value is further enhanced at pH 2, highlighting the potential of this class of materials to serve as adsorbents even under harsh conditions. The adsorbed pharmaceutical can be recovered from TpBD-(CF3)(2) in high yield, offering the option of recycling both the adsorbent and the pharmaceutical. The high efficiency of ibuprofen capture as compared to other less lipophilic pharmaceuticals suggests that COFs can be pre-designed for selective capture of contaminants.