Aromatic Contaminants Research Articles

Machine Learning Models for Predicting Bioavailability of Traditional and Emerging Aromatic Contaminants in Plant Roots.

To predict the behavior of aromatic contaminants (ACs) in complex soil-plant systems, this study developed machine learning (ML) models to estimate the root concentration factor (RCF) of both traditional (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls) and emerging ACs (e.g., phthalate acid esters, aryl organophosphate esters). Four ML algorithms were employed, trained on a unified RCF dataset comprising 878 data points, covering 6 features of soil-plant cultivation systems and 98 molecular descriptors of 55 chemicals, including 29 emerging ACs. The gradient-boosted regression tree (GBRT) model demonstrated strong predictive performance, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.75, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.11, and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.22, as validated by five-fold cross-validation. Multiple explanatory analyses highlighted the significance of soil organic matter (SOM), plant protein and lipid content, exposure time, and molecular descriptors related to electronegativity distribution pattern (GATS8e) and double-ring structure (fr_bicyclic). An increase in SOM was found to decrease the overall RCF, while other variables showed strong correlations within specific ranges. This GBRT model provides an important tool for assessing the environmental behaviors of ACs in soil-plant systems, thereby supporting further investigations into their ecological and human exposure risks.

Self-enhanced oxidation of resistant monocyclic aromatic compounds during ozone treatment: Applicability in groundwater remediation

The Peroxone process—which utilizes a combination of ozone and hydrogen peroxide to generate hydroxyl radicals—is frequently used in groundwater remediation to effectively remove ozone-resistant contaminants. However, some monocyclic aromatic compounds with low ozone reactivity have been found to be removed by ozone solely (without the need for hydrogen peroxide) through a self-enhanced mechanism. This self-enhanced removal occurs when the interaction of ozone with hydroxide ion generates sufficient amount of hydroxyl radicals, initiating a radical reaction that subsequently propagates through the degradation intermediates. This study leverages the self-enhanced degradation mechanism for the treatment of ozone-resistant compounds during groundwater remediation. Key environmental conditions, including water alkalinity and contaminant concentration, were investigated for their effect on the self-enhanced degradation of para-chloro benzoic acid (pCBA), which served as a model for ozone-resistant compounds. High pCBA removal was observed during ozonation in the concentration range of 0.5–5 μM, where the decay kinetics of pCBA and ozone significantly dependent on the initial pCBA concentration. Furthermore, decreased pCBA removal was noted in water matrices with increased alkalinity, largely due to the scavenging of OH radicals by carbonate species. Finally, pCBA removal was investigated in natural groundwater, where co-existing substances acted as ozone/radical scavengers, leading to reduced pCBA removal. Overall, this study highlights the importance of the self-enhanced removal mechanism of monocyclic aromatic contaminants when treating water with high contamination levels and low-to-moderate alkalinities.

A sequencing electroreduction-electrooxidation system driven by atomic hydrogen for enhancing 2,4-dichloronitrobenzene removal from wastewater

The sequencing electroreduction-electrooxidation process has emerged as a promising approach for the degradation of the chloronitrobenzenes (CNBs) due to its elimination of electro-withdrawing groups in the reduction process, facilitating further removal in the subsequent oxidation process. Herein, we developed a cathode consisting of atom Pd on a Ti plate, which enabled the electro-generation of atomic hydrogen (H*) and the efficient electrocatalytic activation of H2O2 to hydroxyl radical (•OH). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra verified the existence of H* and •OH. The electroreduction-electrooxidation system achieved 94.7% of 20 mg L−1 2,4-DCNB removal with a relatively low H2O2 addition (5 mM). Moreover, the inhibition rate of Photobacterium phosphoreum in the effluent decreased from 95% to 52% after the sequencing electroreduction-electrooxidation processes. It was further revealed that the H* dominated the electroreduction process and triggered the electrooxidation process. Our work sheds light on the effective removal of electron-withdrawing groups substituted aromatic contaminants from water and wastewater.

High H-abstraction efficiency of Ni(II)-Ni(III)-Ni(II) cycle mediated oxidation of aromatic contaminants by peroxydisulfate

Peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation has attracted great attention for the treatment of aromatic contaminants in wastewater. In this study, the synthesized β-Ni(OH)2 exhibits remarkable reactivity in the catalytic oxidation of aromatic contaminants of phenol and aniline under alkaline conditions at a low molar ratio of 2:1 between the initial PDS and aromatic contaminants, indicating that the aromatic contaminants have not been completely mineralized into CO2 and H2O. By means of quenching experiments, LSV analysis and various characterizations, we rule out the primary contributions of •OH, SO4•−, O2•−, 1O2 or the non-radically activated PDS complexes to the oxidation processes. Instead, the oxidation cycle of Ni(II)-Ni(III)-Ni(II) plays the predominant role. DFT calculations further reveal the strong adsorption of phenol (-1.217 eV) and aniline (-1.166 eV) on β-NiOOH surface, which subsequently initiates H-abstraction from phenol and aniline by β-NiOOH with low interaction barriers of 0.119 eV and 0.467 eV, respectively. The produced aromatic radicals then undergo polymerization to produce phenol and aniline polymers. This work provides new insight on PDS activation and offers an effective and cost-saving approach for the removal, recycling, and synthesis of aromatic polymers.

Unveiling the effect of different dissolved organic matter (DOM) on catalytic dechlorination of nFe/Ni particles: Corrosion and passivation effect

Dissolved organic matter (DOM), which is ubiquitously distributed in groundwater, has a crucial role in the fate and reactivity of iron materials. However, there is a lack of direct evidence on how different DOMs interact with nFe/Ni in promoting or inhibiting the dechlorination efficiency of chlorinated aromatic contaminants. By comparing humic acid (HA), fulvic acid (FA), and biochar-derived dissolved organic matter (BDOM) at different pyrolysis temperatures, we first demonstrated that the dechlorination effect of nFe/Ni on 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) depended on the nature of DOMs and their adsorption on nFe/Ni. HA showed an enhancing effect on the dechlorination of 2,4-DCP by nFe/Ni, while the inhibition effect of other DOMs resulted in the following dechlorination order: BDOM300 ≈FA>BDOM700 ≈BDOM500. The C2 component with higher aromaticity and molecular weight promoted the corrosion of nFe/Ni and the production of reactive hydrogen atoms (H*). The effects of different DOMs on nFe/Ni include that (1) HA accelerates the corrosion and H* production of nFe/Ni, (2) FA and BDOM300 enhance the corrosion but inhibit H* production, and (3) Both nFe/Ni corrosion and H* formation are suppressed by BDOM500/BDOM700. Therefore, this study will provide a reference for understanding the nature of DOM-nFe/Ni interaction and improving the catalytic activity of nFe/Ni when different DOMs coexist in practical applications.

Biosensing of multiple aromatic xenobiotics in water by in-house fabricated prototype device

Portable, low-cost, and accurate monitoring of hazardous mono-aromatic pollutants, such as phenol or benzene group of compounds in water is a challenging task due to the lack of suitable detectable functional groups and complex matrix of environmental samples. Here, we use a series of protein-based biosensing recognition scaffolds to enable specific detection of several mono-aromatic classes of xenobiotics. The biosensor is tuned to perform in intricate environmental conditions and is interfaced with an in-house manufactured, multi-channel device (AroTrack) capable of direct and sensitive detection of several of these aromatic contaminants, such as phenol, benzene, and 2,3-dimethylphenol (2,3-DMP) in the low ppb range (10–200 ppb). The efficiency of the prototype device was benchmarked in both simulated wastewater and real environmental samples comprising 10 times higher isostructural aromatic pollutants or ions. It was established that AroTrack is reliable for environmental sample testing with a high degree of reproducibility and efficiency comparable to that of modern spectrophotometers (<5 % error). The battery-operated device costs less than $50 to fabricate and this low cost makes it effective to be implemented in rural and low-income settings which suggests immense field deployable potential.

Optimization of Toluenediamine degradation in synthetic wastewater by a UV/H2O2 process using full factorial design

Toluene diamine (TDA) is a major carcinogenic aromatic contaminant that is usually utilized as an intermediate in the formation of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and dyes in several industrial processes. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are one of the very efficacious and reliable solutions for the degradation and mineralization of the extensive ranges of organic refractory contaminants from industrial wastewater. Almost no research work has been conducted to explore the reaction mechanisms of TDA degradation utilizing UV/H2O2 process. Hence, in this novel experimental work, the degradation of TDA in synthetic wastewater with the UV/H2O2 process as an effective AOP was inspected. The Full Factorial Design (FFD) was utilized to study the effect of operating parameters, including initial TDA dosage, pH, and initial H2O2 dosage, on the TDA removal performance. The statistical optimization demonstrated a highly satisfactory determination coefficient (R2 = 0.9445, R2adj = 0.9150, and R2pred = 85.33). The underlying reasons and mechanism of each major parameter on the TDA degradation were comprehensively discussed. The H2O2 decomposition under different pH conditions directly governs the mechanistic aspects of the UV/H2O2 process for the TDA degradation. The optimal situations expected by the experimental design were as follows: the initial TDA dosage at 37.0365 mg/L, pH at 7.04919, and initial H2O2 dosage at 44.1792 mM. At optimum points, the expected and real TDA degradation was 104.661% and 98.5%, respectively. The outcomes of this work obviously substantiated that the UV/H2O2 AOP can successfully degrade TDA in wastewater.

Photobioelectrocatalysis of Intact Photosynthetic Bacteria Exposed to Dinitrophenol

AbstractThe outstanding metabolic versatility of purple non‐sulphur bacteria makes these organisms an ideal candidate for developing photobioelectrochemical systems applicable in contaminated environments. Here, the effects of 2,4 dinitrophenol, a common contaminant, on purple bacteria photobioelectrocatalysis were investigated. The aromatic contaminant clearly affects current generation, with an enhanced photocurrent obtained at low dinitrophenol concentrations (0.5–1 μM), while higher values (up to 100 μM) resulted in a gradual decrease of photocurrent. The obtained electrochemical evidence, coupled to spectroscopic studies, allowed verifying the viability of the bacteria cells after exposure to dinitrophenol, and that no alteration of the photosynthetic apparatus was obtained. The results indicate that high dinitrophenol concentrations divert electrons from the extracellular electron pathway to an alternative electron sink. The present results open the door to the possible use of intact bacteria‐based photoelectrodes to develop technologies for sustainable biosensors with simultaneous environmental remediation.

Biochemical and Spectroscopic Characterization of a Recombinant Laccase from Thermoalkaliphilic Bacillus sp. FNT with Potential for Degradation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Laccases are industrially relevant enzymes that are known for the wide variety of substrates they can use. In recent years, fungal laccases have been progressively replaced by bacterial laccases in applied contexts due to their capacity to work on harsh conditions including high temperatures, pHs, and chloride concentrations. The focus of researchers has turned specifically towards enzymes from extremophilic organisms because of their robustness and stability. The recombinant versions of enzymes from extremophiles have shown to overcome the problems associated with growing their native host organisms under laboratory conditions. In this work, we further characterize a recombinant spore-coat laccase from Bacillus sp. FNT, a thermoalkaliphilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring in a geothermal site. This recombinant laccase was previously shown to be very active and thermostable, working optimally at temperatures around 70–80 °C. Here, we showed that this enzyme is also resistant to common inhibitors, and we tested its ability to oxidize different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as these persistent organic pollutants accumulate in the environment, severely damaging ecosystems and human health. So far, the enzyme was found to efficiently oxidize anthracene, making it a compelling biotechnological tool for biocatalysis and a potential candidate for bioremediation of aromatic contaminants that are very recalcitrant to degradation.

Screening and characterization of bioflocculant isolated from thermotolerant Bacillus sp. ISTVK1 and its application in wastewater treatment

Bioflocculants are extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that are produced by several microorganisms including bacteria. They find application in wastewater treatment wherein they are employed as flocculating agents for removal of suspended particles during the secondary clarification process. In this study, EPS produced by a previously studied thermotolerant strain Bacillus sp. ISTVK1 was analyzed for its flocculation property. The bacteria was cultured in basal and mineral media and the EPS extracted from the two types of cultures were analyzed for their structure, composition, and flocculation efficiency (%), which was tested on kaolin in terms of parameters like duration, pH, temperature and salts. Both types of EPS showed highest flocculating activity on 6th day, at pH 6, and temperature 32.7 °C and with salt AlCl3. When tested on real wastewater, physico-chemical analysis showed reduction in organics in samples treated with EPS and EPS+AlCl3. Aromatic contaminants like Diisobutyl benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate (Retention Time (R.T.) 22.55) and 2-Phenyl-n,n-bis(1-phenylethyl)-1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxamid (R.T. 44.21) were not detected in the bioflocculant treated samples. The study highlighted the applicability of bacterial EPS as a cost-effective bioflocculant for real wastewater.

Impact of inorganic and organic pollutants from a Belgian wastewater treatment plant on adjacent surface and groundwaters

Under the pressure of global droughts and water shortage, it is essential to evolve toward a sustainable and robust water system. One possible avenue is the maximum reuse of treated wastewater, but the quality of which determines its reuse. Therefore, inorganic (Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, and As) and organic (xenoestrogens and polycyclic aromatic contaminants, PACs) contaminants were monthly monitored in an effluent of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), the surrounding surface waters and the local groundwater in Belgium. Dissolved and particulate concentrations of inorganic contaminants in these water bodies were analyzed. In addition, Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) was used in situ to obtain bioavailable metal fractions. In the WWTP effluent and surface waters, only Ni exceeds the Annual Average-Environmental Quality Standard (AA-EQS), while in the groundwater, dissolved As was the predominant element. Moreover, in the surface and effluent waters the highest lability degrees were observed for Cd and Ni. The concentrations of these metal species in the effluent water were lower than in the other water bodies. Micro-organic pollutants, xenoestrogens and PACs were analyzed by dual Estrogen and Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor - Chemical Activated LUciferase gene eXpression (ER & AhR-CALUX) assays. Since the annual averaged (AA) bioequivalent concentration of E2 (0.18 ng/L) is below the AA-EQS standard (0.4 ng/L), and the bioequivalent concentration of benzo[a]pyrene never exceeded the maximum admissible concentration (MAC), the reclamation and reuse of treated wastewater for groundwater replenishment and agricultural irrigation should pose no environmental problems, at least in a short-term.

Developments of efficient dithionite-zerovalent iron/persulfate systems with accelerated Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle for PAHs removal in water and soils

Iron-activated persulfate (PS) systems commonly suffer from the poor Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycle in groundwater and soils, due to the rapid oxidation of Fe(II) by both PS-related and naturally occurring oxidative substances. Maintaining the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycle is necessary to achieve the high efficiency and stability of iron-activated persulfate systems toward aromatic contaminants (e.g., PAHs) in groundwater and soils. Herein, we discover the mixtures of dithionite (DTN) and zerovalent iron (ZVI) to synergistically activate PS, and develop highly efficient, stable DTN-ZVI/PS systems for PAHs removal in groundwater and soils. DTN and intermediates sulfite/thiosulfate initiated reduction of ZVI-derived Fe(III) species in DTN-ZVI/PS systems. This reaction accelerated the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycle and coated ZVI with FeSx, both favoring the generation of HO and SO4−. DTN-ZVI/PS exhibited Nap removal of >90% in water during 11 of 15 supplementations of Nap and/or PS, 1.4–2.4 times ZVI/PS. Similarly, 0.47–4.3 fold increments of Nap removal kobs were obtained in five chemical types of groundwater, and 1.3–2.4 fold increments of PAHs removal in soils. This study may provide a technical basis to develop new Fe-activated oxidation systems for groundwater and soil remediation.

A Reaction Kinetics Study on Benzene Oxidation in the Claus Process by Sulfur Monoxide

The Claus process is used in natural gas processing plants to treat H2S-rich acid gas to recover sulfur, but the process suffers from catalytic deactivation when aromatic contaminants such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers (collectively called as BTEX) are present in the acid gas feed. To safeguard the catalytic reactors, it is desired to oxidize aromatic contaminants in the furnace that are present upstream of the catalytic reactors in the process by oxidants present in it. This work develops a reaction mechanism and evaluates the reaction kinetics for the oxidation of phenyl radical by SO using CBS-QBS for reaction energetics and RRKM and transition state theory for reaction kinetics. The mechanism explores the possible products that are formed from the barrierless addition of SO on phenyl through the O atom as well as through the S atom. The exothermicity of the addition reaction is higher when the addition of SO on the aromatic structure takes place through the S atom. The major products formed from phenyl oxidation by SO are cyclopentadienyl, cyclopentadienethiol and thiopyran radicals. A remarkable similarity between the pathways for phenyl radical oxidation by O2 and its oxidation by SO at high temperatures is observed. The proposed reactions and their rate constants are used to conduct reactor simulations to determine the important reactions that contribute to the formation of major products during phenyl-SO reactions and the temperatures suitable for benzene oxidation by SO under process conditions similar to the Claus furnace.

Abatement of Aromatic Contaminants from Wastewater by a Heat/Persulfate Process Based on a Polymerization Mechanism.

A novel approach to the abatement of pollutants consisting of their conversion to separable solid polymers is explored by a heat/persulfate (PDS) process for the treatment of high-temperature wastewaters. During this process, a simultaneous decontamination and carbon recovery can be achieved with minimal use of PDS, which is significantly different from conventional degradation processes. The feasibility of this process is demonstrated by eight kinds of typical organic pollutants and by a real coking wastewater. For the treatment of the selected pollutants, 30.2-91.9% DOC abatement was achieved with 24.8-91.2% carbon recovery; meanwhile, only 5.2-47.0% of PDS was consumed compared to a conventional degradation process. For the treatment of a real coking wastewater, 71.0% DOC abatement was achieved with 66.0% carbon recovery. With phenol as a representative compound, our polymerization-based heat/PDS process is applicable in a wide pH range (3.5-9.0) with a carbon recovery of >87%. Both SO4•- and HO• can be initiators for polymerization, with different contribution ratios under various conditions. Phenol monomers are semioxidized to form phenolic radicals, which are polymerized via chain transfer or chain growth processes to form separable solid phenol polymers, benzenediol polymers, and cross-linked polymers.

Prediction of second-order rate constants of the sulfate radical anion with aromatic contaminants using the Monte Carlo technique

It has been proved that the removal of aromatic contaminants from the environment with sulfate radical anion (SO4˙−)-based advanced oxidation technology is an effective method.

Photo-Fenton catalyst Fe(III)@PCN-222 grafted on PVDF membrane for multitasking applications: Oil/water separation, aromatic pollutants degradation and bacterial inactivation

In this work, a novel PCN-222 metal−organic framework based multitasking membrane was developed for separation of emulsified oils as well as photo-Fenton degradation of refractory aromatic pollutants and inactivation of pathogenic bacteria in water. Fe(III)@PCN-222 nanorods were prepared via impregnation method and subjected to amino-modification, and then robustly anchored on polydopamine (PDA) decorated PVDF membrane via catechol-amine reaction. The as-prepared N-Fe(III)@PCN-222/PDA/PVDF composite membrane exhibited underwater superoleophobicity, and showed high separation efficiency (above 99.4 %) as well as relatively favorable permeation flux (874.9–1592.3 Lm−2h−1) in the separation of emulsified oils ranged from nanoscale to microscale from water. Meanwhile, the membrane serving as a recyclable photo-Fenton platform showed an extensive degradation capacity towards aromatic contaminants and high inactivation activity against bacteria under visible light. The grafted Fe(III) is used as an electron acceptor to promote the separation of photo-generated charge carriers, adjusted the band structure to shorten the bandgap value, and can be reduced to Fe(II) by photo-generated electrons as a Fenton-like catalyst. The photo-Fenton mechanism was studied in detail from the aspects of photoelectric properties, band structure and reactive oxygen species. This work could promote the application of PCN subclass MOFs based superwetting membrane as a recyclable platform for complex wastewater treatment.

Preparations of cyclodextrin polymer and MgO jointly entrapped iron(III)-TAML catalysts for the removal of aromatic pollutants in water

Iron(III)-tetra-amido-macrocyclic (Fe(III)-TAML) activators generally activate H2O2 to efficiently degrade electron-rich pollutants (e.g., phenols) in water under basic conditions, though Fe(III)-TAML is readily demetallized and inactivated under acidic or nearly neutral conditions. Fe(III)-TAML/H2O2 systems often display low reactivity toward electron-deficient pollutants (benzenes) widespread in water. Fe(III)-TAML catalysts with improved pH adaptations and substrate spectra are highly desirable. Herein, we proposed one-pot preparations of cyclodextrin polymer (CDP) and MgO jointly supported Fe(III)-TAML catalysts for the removal of various aromatic contaminants in water. The composite catalysts exhibited typical polymeric network structure of CDP, embedded with basic MgO/Mg(OH)2 particles and three different Fe(III)-TAML species. The composites repeatedly used for 3–4 times still activated H2O2 to completely remove 4-chlorophenol in water during initial pH 2.0–9.0 conditions or in the presence of main water constituents. Despite low Fe(III)-TAML loadings (0.03%–0.10%), these composites displayed great pH adaptations and diverse reactive regions toward organic compounds, compared to other supported catalysts containing 0.24%–1.27% Fe(III)-TAML. Column experiments demonstrated that the composite/H2O2 completely removed electron-rich 4-chlorophenol and electron-deficient benzenes in simulated groundwater. This study indicates that taking CDP as a support may open new prospects for the design of supported catalysts.

CoFe2O4 functionalized PVDF membrane for synchronous oil/water separation and peroxomonosulfate activation toward aromatic pollutants degradation

Effective synchronous removal of water-immiscible oils and water-miscible refractory aromatic pollutants from wastewater is of great significance for water remediation. In this work, a low-cost and easy-prepared composite membrane was fabricated by vacuum assisted assembling of CoFe2O4 and tannic acid on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) substrate. The CoFe2O4 functionalized PVDF membrane (CoFe2O4@PVDF) exhibited in-air superamphiphilic and underwater superoleophobic surface wettability. The resultant membrane displayed relatively favorable permeation flux (811.5 to 1837.5 Lm−2h−1) and high separation efficiency (above 99 %) in the separation of a series of emulsified oils ranged from nanoscale to microscale from water. Meanwhile, the as-fabricated CoFe2O4@PVDF membrane coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) exhibited an extensive oxidizing capacity and high degradation efficiency towards aromatic contaminants with desired mineralization ability. More importantly, considering that the fabricated CoFe2O4@PVDF membrane possessed special super-wettability as well as PMS activation-based catalytic ability, it also applied in the treatment of simulated complex wastewater. The process achieved effectively synchronous oil/water separation and PMS activation toward pollutants degradation. Besides, in five cyclic continuous “degradation-separation” tests, the recovered CoFe2O4@PVDF membrane after PMS-based degradation in each cycle could separate oil/water emulsions as usual. It exhibited almost complete oil rejection and flux recovery property under multicycle filtration, demonstrating its excellent durability and stability. This flexible integration of PMS-based AOP catalytic capability and super-wettability into a composite membrane can provide inspiration for effective complicated wastewater rehabilitation.

Copper-Catalyzed Reactions of Aryl Halides with N-Nucleophiles and Their Possible Application for Degradation of Halogenated Aromatic Contaminants

This review summarizes recent applications of copper or copper-based compounds as a nonprecious metal catalyst in N-nucleophiles-based dehalogenation (DH) reactions of halogenated aromatic compounds (Ar-Xs). Cu-catalyzed DH enables the production of corresponding nonhalogenated aromatic products (Ar-Nu), which are much more biodegradable and can be mineralized during aerobic wastewater treatment or which are principally further applicable. Based on available knowledge, the developed Cu-based DH methods enable the utilization of amines for effective cleavage of aryl-halogen bonds in organic solvents or even in an aqueous solution.

Incorporating ZIF-71 into poly(ether-block-amide) (PEBA) to form mixed matrix membranes for enhanced separation of aromatic compounds from aqueous solutions by pervaporation

As important chemical intermediates, phenol and aniline are common aromatic contaminants in relevant industrial wastewater that have drawn increasing attention due to their wide existence and high toxicities. In this work, zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-71) crystals were incorporated into poly(ether-block-amide) (PEBA) to form mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for the pervaporative removal of phenol and aniline from their aqueous solutions. The physiochemical properties of the MMMs were characterized with FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and contact angle measurements. The pervaporation performance of the prepared MMMs at different ZIF-71 contents and operating temperatures was investigated. The ZIF-71 crystals showed good compatibility with PEBA polymer, and defect-free MMMs were produced at a ZIF content of as high as 28.6 wt%. The membrane became more hydrophobic and less flexible with an increase in the ZIF-71 loading, and water permeability was reduced significantly, whereas the permeability of the aromatic components was largely unaffected (phenol) or slightly lowered (aniline) because of the preferential sorption/diffusion of the aromatic solutes within the inner ZIF-71 channels, resulting in increased solute enrichment (or selectivity). At a feed concentration of 6,000 ppm and temperature of 60 °C, the ZIF-71/PEBA MMM with a ZIF-71 content of 28.6 wt% displayed a separation factor of 50 and 70 for phenol/water and aniline/water separations, respectively, which demonstrated the excellent potential of ZIF-71/PEBA MMMs as organophilic membranes for pervaporative extraction where the concentrated permeate stream could readily undergo a phase separation to augment the overall separation when the permeate concentrations reached the solubility limit.