Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been extensively employed in a broad range of manufacturing and consumer goods due to their highly persistent nature. PFAS exposure is recognized to pose serious health hazards; therefore, addressing PFAS pollution in water has become a top priority for public health and environmental protection organizations. This review article focuses on the efficiency of different removal techniques (activated carbon, biochar, ion exchange resin, membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, metal-organic frameworks, foam fractionation, ozone fractionation, and destruction techniques) for eliminating different types of short- and long-chain PFAS from water. Hydrophobicity and electrostatic interactions are revealed to be the primary mechanisms for the elimination of PFAS. The efficiency of all techniques to eradicate short-chain PFAS is comparatively lower compared to long-chain PFAS. The destruction techniques are the most efficient but have some drawbacks, including the formation of PFAS precursors and high operational costs. According to the findings from the study, it is anticipated that combined methods will be required to effectively remediate PFAS-contaminated water.

Antibiotics are used for the well-being of human beings and other animals. Detectable levels of antibiotics can be found in pharmaceutical, municipal, and animal effluents. Therefore, the treatment of antibiotic contaminated water is of great concern. In this study, we fabricated a sustainable aminated/TEMPO cellulose nanofiber (Am/TEMPO-CNF) aerogel to remove oxytetracycline (OTC) and chloramphenicol (CAP) from synthetic wastewater. The prepared aerogel was characterized using different analytical techniques such as elemental analysis, FTIR, TGA, SEM-EDS, and N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms. The characterization techniques confirmed the presence and interaction of quaternary amine -[NR₃]⁺ and -COOH groups on Am/TEMPO-CNF with OTC and CAP, which validates the successful modification of Am/TEMPO-CNF. The adsorption process of the pollutants was examined as a function of solution pH, concentrations, reaction time, and temperatures. The maximum adsorption capacity was 153.13 and 150.15 mg/g for OTC and CAP, respectively. The pseudo-second order (PSO-2) was well fitted to both OTC and CAP, confirming the removal is via chemisorption. Hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction have been postulated as key factors in facilitating OTC and CAP adsorption according to spectroscopic studies. Energetically, the adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic for both pollutants. In conclusion, the efficient removal rate and excellent reusability of Am/TEMPO-CNF indicate the strong potential of the adsorbent for antibiotics’ removal.