Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous media with polysulfone/MCM-41 mixed matrix membranes

Abstract

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of the MCM-41-NH2 mesoporous material from the use of amorphous silica extracted from rice husk ash (RHA), as well as the preparation of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) using the mesoporous material as filler material to be used in the remediation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The MCM-41-NH2 was synthesized by the hydrothermal method and the MMMs by solvent casting. The hydrothermal method was efficient in the synthesis of the amorphous condensed silica framework, typical of mesoporous materials of the M41S family, with high surface area. The casting method was efficient for the preparation of the MMMs, which showed a good dispersion of the mesoparticles incorporated, small-angle ordering and a small increase in the Tg values of the MMMs with the incorporation of the MCM-41-NH2. The transport properties were influenced by the incorporation of the MCM-41-NH2 into polysulfone acrylate (PSf-Ac). The obtained MMMs exhibited PAH permeation, retention, and removal values ranged from 1.66-6.70%, 93.30–98.34%, and 36.57–78.89%, respectively. Consequently, the MMMs present potential to remediate PAH from aqueous media.