Bi2WO6 nanoparticles anchored on membrane by grafting via in-situ polymerization for the treatment of antibiotic and pesticides wastewater.

Antibiotics, natural organic matter, and pesticides are detected in the ecosystem's domestic water, surface water, and groundwater and are largely applied in pharmaceuticals and agriculture. Polymeric membranes are effectively remove the various pollutants in the water bodies, but fouling is one of the major limitations of commercial membranes. Herein, we modified the polymeric membrane surface with inorganic photocatalytic nanoparticles. In this work, the hydrothermal method is used for the synthesis of Bi2WO6 nanoparticles and as-synthesized nanoparticles grafted onto the various polymeric membranes, including polyetherimide (PEI), cellulose acetate (CA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polysulfone (PSF). The functional group studies confirmed the existence of nanoparticles and hydroxyl groups on the hybrid membrane. Further, finger-like voids, top-surface morphology, and roughness on the membrane surface were validated via Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. The significant rejection of tetracycline, humic acid, and fulvic acid + atrazine was noted with the synthesized membranes in the following order: PVDF (81.1%, 78.8%, 80.6%) > CA (70.1%, 69.3%, 71.7%) > PSF (72.5%, 73.6%, 67.1%) > PEI (75.9%, 65.5%, 63.7%). The photodegradation efficiency of hybrid membranes against tetracycline, humic acid, and fulvic acid + atrazine was observed in the order: PEI (28.5%, 25.8%, 30.2%) < CA (46.5%, 42.4%, 40.5%) < PSF (46.9%, 37.7%, 44.7%) < PVDF (67.7%, 62.1%, 64.3%). These membranes exhibit an outstanding permeate flux recovery ratio to the neat membrane. Therefore, the grafting of Bi2WO6 nanoparticles creates a potential bonding with PVDF membranes than other polymeric membranes, thus exhibiting an outstanding rejection than hybrid and neat membranes.

Recent development of photocatalytic nanomaterials in mixed matrix membrane for emerging pollutants and fouling control, membrane cleaning process.

Membrane-based separation is an area of extensive research in wastewater treatment, which includes the control of pollution and reuse of water. The fabrication and modification membranes for prevention and reduction of pollution to provide quality water with fouling-free membranes through the wastewater treatment are the progressive approaches in the industries. Several research works have been extensively working on modification and fabrication polymer membranes with integration of advanced oxidation process (AOP) to overcome the membrane fouling. This review describes the modification of membranes with various nanomaterials such as inorganic and modified carbon which can be used for pollution control and enhance the anti-fouling properties of ultrafiltration membranes. The effects on nanomaterials loading percentage, nanomaterials interaction with the polymers and rejection performances of the surface tuned membrane are elaborated. Secondly, the fouled membrane chemical cleaning process and NaOCl adverse effect on polymer structure are critically investigated. Moreover, state-of-art in the photocatalytic self-cleaning process are reviewed in this manuscript, and future perspectives on fouling mitigation based on AOP integrated membrane technology have also discussed.