Fluorinated polymers clean up stubborn heart drugs from water

Researchers at Seoul National University of Science and Technology have developed fluorinated covalent organic polymers (FCOPs) that effectively remove persistent beta-blocker drugs, such as atenolol (ATL) and metoprolol (MTL), from water. These heart medications, designed to resist breakdown in the human body, often pass through conventional wastewater treatment plants and contaminate aquatic ecosystems, where even trace amounts can harm algae and fish. The newly synthesized FCOPs demonstrated rapid and high adsorption capacities, removing over 67% of these drugs within the first minute of exposure. The study revealed a unique sigmoidal adsorption pattern, indicating that at higher concentrations, multilayer adsorption occurs, significantly enhancing pollutant uptake. This exceptional performance is attributed to three synergistic mechanisms: strong intermolecular interactions due to abundant fluorine atoms, electrostatic attraction between positively charged beta-blockers and the negatively charged FCOP surface, and the hydrophobic nature of FCOPs that promotes molecule aggregation. These findings highlight FC