Assessment of micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration process performance for removal of pharmaceutical contaminant from wastewater using response surface methodology

Abstract

In the present research, removal of a common pharmaceutical contaminant from wastewater was studied using micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) process with applying a laboratory-scale system. Sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant was used in this process. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for evaluating the MEUF process performance. The results obtained from the experiments showed that sotalol hydrochloride drug rejection using ultrafiltration membrane was maximum 32.41%, while by adding the surfactant and forming the micelle this amount increased to 96.82%. By using the RSM and investigating the interaction of surfactant concentration, transmembrane pressure (TMP), and pH, it was found that the surfactant concentration had the most impact on the rejection. Moreover, among the studied parameters, TMP and surfactant concentration played an important role in variations of the permeate flux.