Performance investigation of poly(vinylidene fluoride-cohexafluoropropylene) membranes containing SiO2 nanoparticles in a newly designed single vacuum membrane distillation system.

The current study focuses on the development of a superhydrophobic poly(vinylidene fluoride-cohexafluoropropylene) nanocomposite membrane suitable for vacuum membrane distillation by incorporating SiO2 nanoparticles. At loading hydrophobic nano-SiO2 particle concentration (0.50-1.50 wt.%), the developed nanocomposite membranes are optimized in terms of vacuum membrane distillation performance. The influence of temperature, vacuum pressure, and feed water flow is studied for desalinating high-salinity brine. The results show that the developed vacuum distillation membrane is capable of 95% salt rejection during the treatment of a highly saline feed (65,000 ppm) at fixed flow rates of 120 L/h saline feed and different operating conditions consisting of feed inlet temperatures ranging from 40°C to 70°C and distillate inlet temperatures of 7-15°C. The vacuum membrane distillation process achieves 0.38-1.66% water recovery with increasing concentration factor, meaning that recovery is increased, and shows a specific electrical energy consumption of 5.16-23.90 kWh/m3 for product water. Overall, the newly designed membrane demonstrates suitability for a vacuum membrane distillation system. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Desalinate high-salinity brine (TDS > 35,000 ppm) using a vacuum membrane distillation system. A hydrophobic PVDF-HFP/SiO2 nanocomposite membrane development for vacuum membrane distillation. A newly designed single vacuum membrane distillation system for RO brine treatment.

A sustainable approach for the removal of pharmaceutical contaminants from effluent using polyamide thin-film composite membranes integrated with Zn-based metal organic frameworks.

This study addresses the significant concern of pharmaceutical contaminants, including antipyretic and antibiotic drugs, in municipal and industrial wastewater, impacting both the environment and human health. We investigate incorporating zinc-based metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) nanofillers into polyamide layers, developing thin-film composite (PA-TFC) nanofiltration membranes via interfacial polymerization to remove paracetamol, ibuprofen, and amoxicillin from simulated wastewater. Characterization confirms Zn-MOF's presence in the PA-TFC membrane, affecting structural topology, pore size, contact angles, and zeta potential. Zn-MOF nanofillers strongly adhere to the polyamide layer, influencing membrane surface chemistry and morphology. The newly developed MOF/PA-TFC nanofiltration membranes demonstrate a remarkable water flux of up to 35 LMH, showcasing superior removal efficiency for the three pharmaceutical contaminants when compared to PA-TFC membranes. Specifically, the rejection rates for paracetamol, ibuprofen, and amoxicillin are notably high at 93%, 98%, and 99%, respectively. Consequently, this study establishes MOF/PA-TFC nanofiltration membranes as a highly efficient solution for removing emerging pharmaceutical contaminants from environmental water, promoting sustainability and safeguarding water resources.

Scale Design of Dual-Layer Polyphenylsulfone/Sulfonated Polyphenylsulfone Hollow Fiber Membranes for Nanofiltration.

This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of dual-layer sulfonated polyphenylenesulfone (SPPSu) nanocomposite hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes incorporating titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles through the phase inversion technique. Advanced tools and methods were employed to systematically evaluate the properties and performance of the newly developed membranes. The investigation primarily centered on the impact of TiO2 addition in the SPPSu inner layer on pure water permeability and salt rejection. The nanocomposite membranes exhibited a remarkable three-fold increase in pure water permeability, achieving a flux of 5.4 L/m2h.bar compared to pristine membranes. The addition of TiO2 also enhanced the mechanical properties, with an expected tensile strength increase from 2.4 to 3.9 MPa. An evaluation of salt rejection performance using a laboratory-scale filtration setup revealed a maximal rejection of 95% for Mg2SO4, indicating the effective separation capabilities of the modified dual-layer hollow fiber nanocomposite membranes for divalent ions. The successful synthesis and characterization of these membranes highlight their potential for nanofiltration processes, specifically in selectively separating divalent ions from aqueous solutions, owing to their improved pure water flux, mechanical strength, and salt rejection performance.

Sustainable removal of phenol from wastewater using a biopolymer hydrogel adsorbent comprising crosslinked chitosan and κ-carrageenan.

A biopolymer-based adsorbent comprising chitosan (CS) and κ-carrageenan (κ-Carr) was synthesised and evaluated to treat phenolic-contaminated water. The developed CS/κ-Carr hydrogel demonstrated excellent performance with a phenol adsorption uptake of 80 %. The morphologies of CS/κ-Carr hydrogels with different ratios of CS to κ-Carr ranging from 1:2 to 7:3 were characterised using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy; their chemical structures were investigated by spectral analyses using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry; their adsorption characteristics were determined using tests for swelling, chemical stability, hygroscopic moisture content, and hydrophilicity. Finally, a batch-type evaluation method demonstrated adsorption performance at 25 °C and pH 6.9. Adsorption isotherms and kinetic data were successfully obtained using the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models, respectively. The results indicate that one-pot synthesis of an insoluble CS/κ-Carr hydrogel adsorbent exhibits considerable potential for the removal of phenol from aqueous solutions, providing an environmentally friendly technology enhancing the phenol adsorption performance of CS.

Transformation of hazardous sacred incense sticks ash waste into less toxic product by sequential approach prior to their disposal into the water bodies.

Incense sticks ash is one of the most unexplored by-products generated at religious places and houses obtained after the combustion of incense sticks. Every year, tonnes of incense sticks ash is produced at religious places in India which are disposed of into the rivers and water bodies. The presence of heavy metals and high content of alkali metals challenges a potential threat to the living organism after the disposal in the river. The leaching of heavy metals and alkali metals may lead to water pollution. Besides this, incense sticks also have a high amount of calcium, silica, alumina, and ferrous along with traces of rutile and other oxides either in crystalline or amorphous phases. The incense sticks ash, heavy metals, and alkali metals can be extracted by water, mineral acids, and alkali. Ferrous can be extracted by magnetic separation, while calcium by HCl, alumina by sulfuric acid treatment, and silica by strong hydroxides like NaOH. The recovery of such elements by using acids and bases will eliminate their toxic heavy metals at the same time recovering major value-added minerals from it. Here, in the present research work, the effect on the elemental composition, morphology, crystallinity, and size of incense sticks ash particles was observed by extracting ferrous, followed by extraction of calcium by HCl and alumina by H2SO4 at 90-95 °C for 90 min. The final residue was treated with 4 M NaOH, in order to extract leachable silica at 90 °C for 90 min along with continuous stirring. The transformation of various minerals phases and microstructures of incense sticks ash (ISA) and other residues during ferrous, extraction, calcium, and alumina and silica extraction was studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). DLS was used for analyzing the size during the experiments while FTIR helped in the confirmation of the formation of new products during the treatments. From the various instrumental analyses, it was found that the toxic metals present in the initial incense sticks ash got eliminated. Besides this, the major alkali metals, i.e., Ca and Mg, got reduced during these successive treatments. Initially, there were mainly irregular shaped, micron-sized particles that were dominant in the incense sticks ash particles. Besides this, there were plenty of carbon particles left unburned during combustion. In the final residue, nanosized flowers shaped along with cuboidal micron-sized particles were dominant. present in If, such sequential techniques will be applied by the industries based on recycling of incense sticks ash, then not only the solid waste pollution will be reduced but also numerous value-added minerals like ferrous, silica, alumina calcium oxides and carbonates can be recovered from such waste. The value-added minerals could act as an economical and sustainable source of adsorbent for wastewater treatment in future.

Fabrication of different SnO2 nanorods for enhanced photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial activity.

The acid-mediated (oxalic acid [OXA], cinnamic acid [CA], and itaconic acid [IA]) SnO2 nanorods were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The synthesized SnO2 nanorods, in turn, were analyzed with various physico-chemical techniques such as the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of the different SnO2 nanorods was investigated with the malachite green (MG) dye under visible light illumination. The OXA-SnO2 nanorods displayed an excellent degradation performance with observed value at 91% and it was compared to CA and IA-SnO2 nanomaterials. This tetragonal phase was identified and confirmed by XRD studies. In this regards, obtained band gap energy is low then optimally performed to the photocatalytic evolution. The OXA-SnO2 materials were tested for antibacterial and antifungal studies; this was as shown in good biological activities with admire to the different bacterial strains. The Candida albicans (antifungal) and Enterococcus faecalis (Gram-positive) bacteria were not affected in the microbial studies.

Graphene Oxide-Polyphenylsulfone Nanocomposite Beads for Paracetamol Removal from Aqueous Solution.

This study introduces a promising and practical method for the removal of paracetamol from aqueous environments, employing graphene oxide-polymer nanocomposite beads. The approach involves the utilization of a straightforward and facile phase inversion method, offering a convenient and efficient one-step process for the creation of adsorbent beads by integrating polymers and graphene oxide (GO). The synthesized nanocomposite beads are tailored for the removal of paracetamol from simulated wastewater in batch systems. Extensive characterization techniques including XPS, FTIR, SEM, TGA, and zeta potential analysis are employed to scrutinize the chemical properties and structural attributes of the prepared beads. The investigation explores the impact of critical parameters such as adsorbent dosage, adsorption duration, initial paracetamol concentration, and solution pH on the adsorption process. These nanocomposite beads exhibit an exceptional paracetamol removal efficiency, achieving up to 99% removal. This research not only contributes to the advancement of efficient and sustainable adsorbent materials for pollutant removal but also underscores their potential for environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions in the domain of wastewater treatment.

Recent Advancements in Polyphenylsulfone Membrane Modification Methods for Separation Applications.

Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) membranes are of fundamental importance for many applications such as water treatment, gas separation, energy, electronics, and biomedicine, due to their low cost, controlled crystallinity, chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability. Numerous research studies have shown that modifying surface properties of PPSU membranes influences their stability and functionality. Therefore, the modification of the PPSU membrane surface is a pressing issue for both research and industrial communities. In this review, various surface modification methods and processes along with their mechanisms and performance are considered starting from 2002. There are three main approaches to the modification of PPSU membranes. The first one is bulk modifications, and it includes functional groups inclusion via sulfonation, amination, and chloromethylation. The second is blending with polymer (for instance, blending nanomaterials and biopolymers). Finally, the third one deals with physical and chemical surface modifications. Obviously, each method has its own limitations and advantages that are outlined below. Generally speaking, modified PPSU membranes demonstrate improved physical and chemical properties and enhanced performance. The advancements in PPSU modification have opened the door for the advance of membrane technology and multiple prospective applications.

Fabrication of Polysulfone-Surface Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanocomposite Membranes for Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Wastewater.

Membranes are an efficient way to treat emulsified heavy metal-based wastewater, but they generally come with a trade-off between permeability and selectivity. In this research, the amine and sulphonic groups on the inner and outer surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were first modified by a chemical approach. Then, MSNs with amine and sulphonic groups were utilized as new inorganic nanofiller to fabricate mixed matrix polysulfone (PSU) nanocomposite membranes using the classical phase inversion approach. The resultant nanoparticles and membranes were characterized by their physico-chemical characteristics as well as determination of pure water permeability along with cadmium and zinc ion removal. Embedding nanoparticles resulted in a significant rise in the water permeability as a result of changes in the surface properties and porosity of the membrane. Furthermore, the efficiency of developed membranes to remove cadmium and zinc was significantly improved by more than 90% due to the presence of functional groups on nanoparticles. The functionalized-MSNs/PSU nanocomposite membrane has the potential to be an effective industrial effluent removal membrane.

Thin-Film Nanocomposite Membrane Incorporated with Porous Zn-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks: Toward Enhancement of Desalination Performance and Chlorine Resistance.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) materials have received extensive attention for the design of advanced thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes with excellent permselectivity. However, the relationship between the unique physicochemical properties and performance of engineered MOF-based membranes has yet to be extensively investigated. In this work, we investigate the incorporation of porous zinc-based MOFs (Zn-MOFs) into a polyamide active layer for the fabrication of TFN membranes on porous poly(phenylsulfone) (PPSU) support layers through an interfacial polymerization approach. The actual effects of varying the amount of Zn-MOF added as a nanofiller on the physicochemical properties and desalination performance of TFN membranes are studied. The presence and layout of Zn-MOFs on the top layer of the membranes were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and ζ potential analysis. The characterization results revealed that Zn-MOFs strongly bind with polyamide and significantly change the membrane chemistry and morphology. The results indicate that all four studied TFN membranes with incorporated Zn-MOFs enhanced the water permeability while retaining high salt rejection compared to a thin-film composite membrane. Moreover, the highest-performing membrane (50 mg/L Zn-MOF added nanofiller) not only exhibited a water permeability of 2.46 ± 0.12 LMH/bar but also maintained selectivity to reject NaCl (>90%) and Na2SO4 (>95%), similar to benchmark values. Furthermore, the membranes showed outstanding water stability throughout 72 h filtration and chlorine resistance after a 264 h chlorine-soaking test because of the better compatibility between the polyamide and Zn-MOF nanofiller. Therefore, the developed TFN membrane has potential to solve trade-off difficulties between permeability and selectivity. Our findings indicate that porous Zn-MOFs play a significant role in the development of a TFN membrane with high desalination performance and chlorine resistance.

Removal of Cadmium and Chromium by Mixture of Silver Nanoparticles and Nano-Fibrillated Cellulose Isolated from Waste Peels of Citrus Sinensis.

Nano-fibrillated cellulose (NFC) was extracted by a chemical method involving alkali and acid hydrolysis. The characterisation of the citrus sinensis fruit peel bran and nano-fibrillated cellulose was performed by XRD, FTIR, TEM, and FESEM. XRD confirmed the phase of NFC which showed monoclinic crystal with spherical to rod shape morphology with a size of 44-50 nm. The crystallinity index of treated NFC increased from 39% to 75%. FTIR showed the removal of lignin and hemicellulose from waste peels due to the alkaline treatment. Silver nanoparticles were also synthesised by utilizing extract of citrus sinensis skins as a reducing agent. Pharmaceutical effluent samples from an industrial area were tested by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Out of the four metals obtained, cadmium and chromium were remediated by silver nanoparticles with nano-fibrillated cellulose via simulated method in 100 mg/L metal-salt concentrations over a time period of 160 min. The highest removal efficiency was found for cadmium, i.e., 83%, by using silver and NFC together as adsorbents. The second highest was for chromium, i.e., 47%, but by using only NFC. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were well fitted for the sorption of Cd (II) and Cr (II) with suitable high R2 values during kinetic simulation. Thus, the isolation of NFC and synthesis of silver nanoparticles proved efficient for heavy metal sorption by the reuse of waste skins.

A highly permeable zinc-based MOF/polyphenylsulfone composite membrane with elevated antifouling properties.

In this study, for the first time, a highly permeable composite membrane was constructed by incorporating a zinc-based metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) in a polyphenylsulfone matrix for the elevation of antifouling properties. Owing to the hydrophilic nature and high surface charge, this membrane demonstrated effective bovine serum albumin (a model protein) rejection and antifouling characteristics.

A Novel Approach To Optimize the Fabrication Conditions of Thin Film Composite RO Membranes Using Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm II.

This work focuses on developing a novel method to optimize the fabrication conditions of polyamide (PA) thin film composite (TFC) membranes using the multi-objective genetic algorithm II (MOGA-II) method. We used different fabrication conditions for formation of polyamide layer-trimesoyl chloride (TMC) concentration, reaction time (t), and curing temperature (Tc)-at different levels, and designed the experiment using the factorial design method. Three functions (polynomial, neural network, and radial basis) were used to generate the response surface model (RSM). The results showed that the radial basis predicted good results (R2 = 1) and was selected to generate the RSM that was used as the solver for MOGA-II. The experimental results indicate that TMC concentration and t have the highest influence on water flux, while NaCl rejection is mainly affected by the TMC concentration, t, and Tc. Moreover, the TMC concentration controls the density of the PA, whereas t confers the PA layer thickness. In the optimization run, MOGA-II was used to determine optimal parametric conditions for maximizing water flux and NaCl rejection with constraints on the maximum acceptable levels of Na2SO4, MgSO4, and MgCl2 rejections. The optimized solutions were obtained for longer t, higher Tc, and different TMC concentration levels.

Probing the surface ultrastructure of Brevibacillus laterosporus using atomic force microscopy.

One of the main obstacles to studying the surface ultrastructure of microbial cells by atomic force microscopy (AFM) is determining how to immobilize live cells on the AFM substrates. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The aim of this study was to characterize a new simple and inexpensive method using two types of polyethersulfone (PES) membrane filters that differ in pore size (micropore and nanopore) to immobilize live and dead Brevibacillus laterosporus for AFM imaging. B. laterosporus was easily trapped by the microporous PES membrane, facilitating the successful AFM scanning of the bacterial surface ultrastructure. In addition, B. laterosporus strongly attached to the nanoporous membranes and withstood the pulling forces exerted by the AFM tip during scanning. These methods of immobilization did not affect the cell viability. The nanostructure and roughness of the bacterial surface were also observed for live, fixed, and air-dried cells. Live and dead bacteria displayed similar morphologies at low resolution, while at high resolution, live bacteria displayed a more convoluted surface ("brain-like structure").

Dye Separation and Antibacterial Activities of Polyaniline Thin Film-Coated Poly(phenyl sulfone) Membranes.

We fabricated a nanofiltration membrane consisting of a polyaniline (PANI) film on a polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) substrate membrane. The PANI film acted as a potent separation enhancer and antimicrobial coating. The membrane was analyzed via scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to examine its morphology, topography, contact angle, and zeta potential. We aimed to investigate the impact of the PANI film on the surface properties of the membrane. Membrane performance was then evaluated in terms of water permeation and rejection of methylene blue (MB), an organic dye. Coating the PPSU membrane with a PANI film imparted significant advantages, including finely tuned nanometer-scale membrane pores and tailored surface properties, including increased hydrophilicity and zeta potential. The PANI film also significantly enhanced separation of the MB dye. The PANI-coated membrane rejected over 90% of MB with little compromise in membrane permeability. The PANI film also enhanced the antimicrobial activity of the membrane. The bacteriostasis (B R) values of PANI-coated PPSU membranes after six and sixteen hours of incubation with Escherichia coli were 63.5% and 95.2%, respectively. The B R values of PANI-coated PPSU membranes after six and sixteen hours of incubation with Staphylococcus aureus were 70.6% and 88.0%, respectively.

Antimicrobial and antifouling properties of versatile PPSU/carboxylated GO nanocomposite membrane against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and protein.

Biofouling is a serious issue in membrane-based water and wastewater treatment as it critically compromises the efficacy of the water treatment processes. This investigation demonstrates the antimicrobial and antifouling properties of a nanocomposite membrane system composed of carboxyl-functionalized graphene oxide (COOH-GO) and polyphenylsulfone (PPSU). The PPSU/COOH-GO nanocomposite membrane exhibited excellent antimicrobial properties, achieving maximum bacteriostasis rates of 74.2% and 81.1% against the representative Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively) and 41.9% against the representative Gram-positive bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus). The PPSU/COOH-GO nanocomposite membrane inhibited the attachment, colonization, and the biofilm formation of three species. Antifouling was assessed through filtration experiments using a model foulant bovine serum albumin (BSA). The fouling mechanisms were investigated by Hermia's models (complete blocking, intermediate blocking, standard blocking, and cake formation), and the analysis involved fitting the volumetric flux decline experimental data to models. The fouling study revealed a less irreversible fouling and increased flux recovery ratio for the PPSU/COOH-GO nanocomposite membrane. Complete blocking of pores and cake formation were the major fouling mechanisms for the membrane.

Development of a nanocomposite ultrafiltration membrane based on polyphenylsulfone blended with graphene oxide.

In the present study, graphene oxide (GO) was incorporated as a nanoadditive into a polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) to develop a PPSU/GO nanocomposite membrane with enhanced antifouling properties. A series of membranes containing different concentrations (0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 wt.%) of GO were fabricated via the phase inversion method, using N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) as the solvent, deionized water as the non-solvent, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a pore forming agent. The prepared nanocomposite membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and were also characterized with respect to contact angle, zeta potential and porosity, mean pore radius, tortuosity and molecular weight cut-off (MWCO). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and tensile testing were used to measure thermal and mechanical properties. The membrane performance was evaluated by volumetric flux and rejection of proteins, and antifouling properties. According to the results, the optimum addition of 0.5 wt% GO resulted in a membrane with an increased flux of 171 ± 3 Lm-2h-1 with a MWCO of ~40 kDa. In addition, the GO incorporation efficiently inhibited the interaction between proteins and the membrane surface, thereby improving the fouling resistance ability by approximately 58 ± 3%. Also, the resulting membranes showed a significant improvement in mechanical and thermal properties.

Electron microscopic ultrastructural study on the toxicological effects of AgNPs on the liver, kidney and spleen tissues of albino mice.

The present study deals with the intraperitoneal administration of 500, 1000, 3000, and 5000mg/kg of AgNPs in albino mice for 28 days to evaluate the potential toxicological effects of AgNPs on blood biochemical parameters and to investigate the light and electron microscopic histopathological alterations on three major targets organs i.e., liver, kidney and spleen. The AgNPs was well tolerated and no mortality was observed even at the highest dose i.e., 5000mg/kg. Mice treated with 500 and 1000mg/kg AgNPs did not show significant behavioral, biochemical and ultrastructural pathological changes. Mice treated with 1000mg/kg AgNPs produces little ultrastructural alteration in liver, kidney and spleen. However, mice treated with 3000 and 5000mg/kg AgNPs revealed significant changes in biochemical parameters. Electron microscopic ultrastructural investigation of liver and kidney shows that the administration of 3000 and 5000mg/kg AgNPs revealed irregularity in the nuclear membrane, nuclear chromatin condensations, degenerated hepatocytes, swollen and pleomorphic mitochondria with distorted cristae, extensive dilation of rough endoplasmic reticulum, destructed cytoplasm, hypertrophied and fused podocytes and thickened basement membrane in the endothelial cells of the proximal tubules. The spleen sections at 3000 and 5000mg/kg AgNPs revealed megakaryocytes hyperplasia, lobulations, invaginations and folding of nuclei and nuclear membrane. The present research indicates that AgNPs were well tolerated at the lower doses, but significant alterations in liver, kidney and spleen were observed at the higher doses tested. It is, therefore, suggested that further studies are needed for the minimization of the observed side effects, especially at higher doses before AgNPs being applied in pharmaceutical application.