Hybrid Ceramic Membranes for the Removal of Pharmaceuticals from Aqueous Solutions.

Jenny Radeva,Anke Gundula Roth,Christian Göbbert,Lars Dähne,Jürgen Wiese,Robert Niestroj-Pahl,Axel Wolfram

doi:10.3390/membranes11040280

Jenny Radeva, Anke Gundula Roth + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11040280

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Abstract

Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technology was used to coat alumina ceramic membranes with nanosized polyelectrolyte films. The polyelectrolyte chains form a network with nanopores on the ceramic surface and promote the rejection of small molecules such as pharmaceuticals, salts and industrial contaminants, which can otherwise not be eliminated using standard ultrafiltration methods. The properties and performance of newly developed hybrid membranes are in the focus of this investigation. The homogeneity of the applied coating layer was investigated by confocal fluorescence microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Properties such as permeability, bubble point, pore size distribution and Zeta potential were determined for both pristine and LbL coated membranes using various laboratory tests. Subsequently, a thorough comparison was drawn. The charging behavior at solid-liquid interface was characterized using streaming potential techniques. The retention potential was monitored by subjecting widely used pharmaceuticals such as diclofenac, ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazol. The results prove a successful elimination of pharmaceutical contaminants, up to 84% from drinking water, by applying a combination of polyelectrolyte multilayers and ceramic membranes.

Highlights

Providing consistently clean drinking water to the population is facing many challenges
To evaluate the success of the coating process, random samples were subjected to fluorescence microscopy analysis and a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) and scanning electron microscope (TSEM)
8 of polyelectrolyte conjugated to small fluorescence molecules (Rhodamine)

Summary

Introduction

Providing consistently clean drinking water to the population is facing many challenges. The increasing global population and resulting worldwide rising pollution of surface water requires new approaches regarding sustainable water management. The supply of clean, pollutant-free drinking water is becoming increasingly difficult due to anthropogenic influences such as contamination with pharmaceutical residues (and catabolites, e.g., diclofenac, bezafibrate, carbamazepine, hormones, antibiotics, contrast agents) as well as specific contaminants such as agricultural pesticides [1]. The described problem is exacerbated by the increasing consumption of medication due to the increasingly aging societies of industrial countries. Its benefits are low energy consumption, compact design, stable separation processes, modular setup with the possibility of a quick capacity expansion, rapid startup, and shutdown opportunities. Porous membranes made of plastics, ceramics, and metals are state of the art [2,3]

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