Chapter 3 - Synthetic polymer-based membranes for dye and pigment removal

Abstract

The use of synthetic polymeric membranes to remove dyes and pigments from industrial wastewater is a growing technology. The toxic and nonbiodegradable nature of dyes and pigments in industrial wastewater influences the importance of the removal of those dyes and pigments. Conventional methods such as coagulation, the photocatalytic process, adsorption, ozonation, plasma treatment, electrochemical treatment, etc., are proposed. However, these methods are very time-consuming, use expensive catalysts, are difficult to scale up, and need secondary treatment. In recent times, a substantial number of attempts have been put forward to advance the performance of polymeric membranes for dye and pigment wastewater treatment. In this chapter, the recent progress on the use of polymeric membranes in processes such as nanofiltration, membrane distillation, and ultrafiltration for effective dye and pigment removal are discussed.