Amoxicillin removal by Fe-based nanoparticles immobilized on polyacrylonitrile membrane: Effects of input parameters and optimization by response surface methodology

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to optimize the process factors in the degradation and separation of amoxicillin (AMX) by simultaneous combination of Fenton and nanofiltration processes (NF/FT), as well as to investigate the fouling of membrane samples. For this purpose, the Fenton Fe-based catalysts, i.e., goethite (Goe) and maleate ferroxane (Mf), are incorporated in the structure of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) film. A Central Composite Design (CCD) in response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize AMX separation and degradation. The amounts of H2O2, Fe-based nanoparticles in PAN/Goe and PAN/Mf membranes and AMX concentration were the effective factors. The NF/FT process could provide an appropriate opportunity to reduce the fouling of membranes by permeated flux of about 23.45 and 20.01 kg/m2h for PAN/Mf and PAN/Goe membranes, respectively, at the optimum conditions. The results indicated that by increasing the pollutant (AMX) concentration, the antibiotic removal efficiency increased for PAN/Goe membrane.