Efficient and Original Technique for the Optimization and Intensification of Membrane Processes Relating to the Treatment and Recovery of Discharges Loaded with the Emerging Pollutant Paracetamol

Abstract

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is one of the most commonly used pain relievers and fever reducers due to the high stability, solubility, and hydrophilicity; it is mainly detected in pharmaceutical releases. Its presence in aquatic systems is a serious ecological concern. The pharmaceutical industries are using several technologies for separation, extraction, and control such as membrane processes because of their numerous advantages. In the present work, a polymer inclusion membrane containing Tween 20 (TW20) as an extractive agent was fabricated for the treatment and recovery of effluents loaded with emerging pollutants (paracetamol). After characterization of the morphology and porosity, the membrane was adopted to carry out the extraction and recovery processes of paracetamol, assisted by activated carbon. Kinetic and thermodynamic models were applied to determine the values of permeability (P), initial flux (J0), association constant (Kass), and diffusion apparent coefficient (D*) parameters. Subsequently, activation parameters energy (Ea), association and dissociation enthalpies (ΔH#ass and ΔH#dis, respectively), and entropy (ΔS#) were measured. For this original technique, the effects of activated carbon on the evolution of processes carried out across the membrane have been investigated and indicate a significant optimization and intensification of the membrane performance and total paracetamol extraction rate. In addition, this technique is clean and does not affect the structure or the stability of the membrane.