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Abstract
An efficient process was developed allowing the removal of metal ions from polycontaminated aqueous solutions by combining modified colloids and membranes. Firstly, filtration experiments were performed using polyethersulfone membranes modified by a self-assembled multilayer film of polyelectrolytes. These polymer-modified membranes allowed the uptake of more than 90% of the metal ions initially present in the contaminated solutions (for solutions concentrated at 50 mg L−1). Secondly, adsorption experiments were carried out with colloidal silica encapsulated with carboxymethyl chitosan (SiO2-CMCS) or with mesoporous silica functionalized by grafting of 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, i.e., cyclam (SiO2-cyclam). The adsorption capacity of these compounds was shown to be higher than numerous other literature-known adsorbents, reaching 68 and 61 mg g−1 towards Cu(II) for SiO2-CMCS and SiO2-cyclam, respectively. Finally, by coupling adsorption with ultrafiltration in the tangential mode, the removal of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) ions was found to be improved, allowing to reach a removal efficiency of 99% towards Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) ions at a metal concentration of 50 mg L−1, and a promising removal efficiency around 70% at a very high metal concentration of 1200 mg L−1. The mechanisms involved in the capture of the metal ions by modified membranes and colloids are also discussed.
Highlights
Clean water is an essential element for all living organisms to sustain life
The physicochemical parameters and the thermodynamic assumptions of the adsorption model provide an insight into the adsorption mechanism of the adsorbates onto the adsorbents
In the field of metal removal, this model has been successfully used to describe the adsorption of metal ions on aminated adsorbents by Koong et al [29]
Summary
Clean water is an essential element for all living organisms to sustain life. With the rapid population growth and the accelerated process of modernization, the demand for clean water is increasing continuously [1]. The demand for clean water has greatly increased in agricultural, industrial and domestic sectors consuming most available fresh water. Water resources are the final recipients of terrestrial pollutants and effluent discharges from industrial and domestic sources, which generate toxic effects on living organisms and ecosystems [2]. Metallurgical industry and chemical manufacturing have generated large amounts of wastewater containing aquatic contaminants such as heavy metal ions or dyes [3,4]. Removing metal pollutants from wastewater has become a crucial topic of worldwide concern
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