biostudies-literatureLiang YNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)1972https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11861909biostudies-literatureUnknown16(1)Hundreds of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are present in fluorochemical production effluents, and existing adsorption devices are inadequate to address this PFAS challenge given their extreme structural diversity. Here, we achieve the broad-spectrum capture of 107 PFAS from fluorochemical effluents using a treatment-train strategy that combines Zn-based electrocoagulation (EC) with anion-exchange resin (AER) beds. The "zero-carbon" adsorbent, zinc hydroxide flocs generated insitu by Zn-based EC, bulk removes PFAS with log K_ow > 4 through a semi-micellar adsorption mechanism similar to mineral flotation and achieves adsorption capacities at the optimal level of all reported adsorbents. Technical-economic analysis and life-cycle environmental impact show that couplingNature communicationsBroad-spectrum capture of hundreds of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from fluorochemical wastewater.PMC11861909No. U23A2056No.51878170Liang SYang YYang LWang ALiang YTang CLin HHuang QXu JfalseBroad-spectrum capture of hundreds of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from fluorochemical wastewater.Hundreds of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are present in fluorochemical production effluents, and existing adsorption devices are inadequate to address this PFAS challenge given their extreme structural diversity. Here, we achieve the broad-spectrum capture of 107 PFAS from fluorochemical effluents using a treatment-train strategy that combines Zn-based electrocoagulation (EC) with anion-exchange resin (AER) beds. The "zero-carbon" adsorbent, zinc hydroxide flocs generated insitu by Zn-based EC, bulk removes PFAS with log K_ow > 4 through a semi-micellar adsorption mechanism similar to mineral flotation and achieves adsorption capacities at the optimal level of all reported adsorbents. Technical-economic analysis and life-cycle environmental impact show that coupling2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Feb2025-04-04T00:49:05.955Z2025-04-04T00:49:05.955ZS-EPMC118619094000063510.1038/s41467-025-57272-0