Evaluation of process condition impact on copper and lead ions removal from water using goethite incorporated nanocomposite ultrafiltration adsorptive membranes

Abstract

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) adsorptive membrane incorporated with nanosize-goethite (α-FeO(OH)) hydrous metal oxide particles (GNPs), prepared with optimal flux and Cu(II) removal in the previous study, was used to evaluate the process parameter on the Cu(II) removal. Box-Behnken Design (BBD) based on the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to evaluate the impact of Cu(II) feed solution characteristics such as pH, initial concentration of metal ion, and transmembrane pressure (TMP) on copper removal efficiency. The outcomes indicated that the RSM optimization technique could be utilized as an applicable method to find the optimum condition for the maximum Cu(II) removal with slight variance compared with the experimentally measured data. The effect of each process parameter and the coupling effect of parameters on the Cu(II) removal was assessed. Finally, the optimum condition of pH, Cu(II) concentration, and transmembrane pressure (TMP) to obtain high copper removal efficiency was decided. In the optimum condition of the Cu(II) removal, the removal of lead (Pb(II)) metal ion was evaluated by the same membrane. HIGHLIGHTS Systematic investigation on the membrane operating condition variables.; Optimization of the operation condition using response surface methodology.; Promoted membrane separation performance with incorporation of goethite nanoparticles.; High membrane flux for heavy metal removal from wastewater using adsorptive membranes.;

Keywords

• box-behnken experimental design
• goethite nanoparticle
• metal ion removal
• nanocomposite adsorptive membrane
• water treatment