Preparation of Cross-Linked Graphene Oxide on Polyethersulfone Membrane for Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products Removal.

Yanyan Lou,Pan Li,Mengen Wang,Fibor J Tan,Rong Zeng,Shengji Xia

doi:10.3390/polym12091921

Abstract

The unique two-dimensional structure and chemical properties of graphene oxide (GO) provide a convenient method for preparing novel membranes. In this study, GO membranes were prepared through filtration by a pressure-assisted self-assembly method involving the cross-linking of three diamine monomers on a polyethersulfone (PES) support. The different small molecular diamines, ethylenediamine, butanediamine, and p-phenylenediamine, were introduced as cross-linking agents to investigate the effect of diamine on the properties of GO membranes. The hydrophobic substances ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, and triclosan were selected as target pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). The adsorption and molecular sieving activities of PPCPs by cross-linked GO membranes at a pH of 3 were investigated. The permeate water was analyzed for dissolved organic carbon, ultraviolet absorption at 254 nm, molecular weight distribution, and fluorescence excitation–emission matrices. The results showed that the removal of hydrophobic PPCPs by GO membranes was mainly due to their adsorption and molecular sieving activities. Adsorption was mainly determined by the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of the membranes and PPCPs. The interception effect was mainly determined by the interlayer spacing between the GO membranes and the molecular weight and steric hindrance of the PPCPs. A smaller spacing of the GO membrane layers resulted in greater steric hindrance and a higher removal rate.

Highlights

With the rapid development of the economy, the problems of water shortage and pollution have become increasingly prominent
The initial contact angle of graphene oxide (GO)-0 was large (63.1◦ ), it decreased rapidly (39.7◦ ) (Figure 2). This is because GO-0 has a large number of hydrophilic groups, including hydroxyl, carboxyl, and epoxy groups, which increase the wettability of the GO membrane
As the length of the cross-linking agent molecules increases, the hydrophilicity decreases, resulting in the contact angle of GO-BDA being greater than GO-EDA

Summary

Introduction

With the rapid development of the economy, the problems of water shortage and pollution have become increasingly prominent. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), which are widely found in natural water bodies, have attracted increasing attention [1,2]. PPCPs are an emerging pollutant that are common in daily life. PPCPs are not completely metabolized in and/or are improperly disposed of in the environment, such as in sewage treatment and in bodies of water. This leads to serious pollution by PPCPs in water environments [1,2]. Typical PPCPs include antibiotics, estrogens, anti-inflammatory analgesics, synthetic musk, and bactericidal cleansers and Polymers 2020, 12, 1921; doi:10.3390/polym12091921 www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers

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Results

Conclusion