Catechol-Based Porous Organic Polymers for Effective Removal of Phenolic Pollutants from Water

Polymers (Basel). 2023 Jun 2;15(11):2565. doi: 10.3390/polym15112565.

Abstract

Phenolic pollutants released from industrial activities seriously damage natural freshwater resources, and their elimination or reduction to safe levels is an urgent challenge. In this study, three catechol-based porous organic polymers, CCPOP, NTPOP, and MCPOP, were prepared using sustainable lignin biomass-derived monomers for the adsorption of phenolic contaminants in water. CCPOP, NTPOP, and MCPOP showed good adsorption performance for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) with theoretical maximum adsorption capacities of 808.06 mg/g, 1195.30 mg/g, and 1076.85 mg/g, respectively. In addition, MCPOP maintained a stable adsorption performance after eight consecutive cycles. These results indicate that MCPOP is a potential material for the effective treatment of phenol pollutants in wastewater.

Keywords: adsorption; biomass; catechol; phenolic pollutants; porous organic polymers.