A Study of the Mechanism and Separation of Structurally Similar Phenolic Acids by Commercial Polymeric Ultrafiltration Membranes
Qinshi Wang,
Yun Zhang,
Xianli Zhang,
Qi Li,
Mingcong Huang,
Shasha Huang,
Qianlian Wu,
Zhishu Tang,
Linmei Pan,
Yue Zhang,
Hongbo Liu,
Bo Li,
Huaxu Zhu
Affiliations
Qinshi Wang
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Yun Zhang
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Xianli Zhang
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Qi Li
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Mingcong Huang
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Shasha Huang
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Qianlian Wu
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Zhishu Tang
Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
Linmei Pan
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Yue Zhang
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Hongbo Liu
Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
Bo Li
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Huaxu Zhu
Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
This study examined the behavior and penetration mechanisms of typical phenolic (benzoic) acids, which determine their observed penetration rates during membrane separation, focusing on the influence of electrostatic and hydrophobic solute/membrane interactions. To understand the effects of hydrophobicity and electrostatic interaction on membrane filtration, the observed penetration of five structurally similar phenolic acids was compared with regenerated cellulose (RC) and polyamide (PA) membranes at different solute concentrations and solution pHs. Variation partitioning analysis (VPA) was performed to calculate the relative contributions of electrostatic and hydrophobic effects. The penetration of phenolic acids was mainly influenced by the electrostatic interaction, with salicylic acid having the highest penetration. Penetration of phenolic acids through the PA membrane decreased from 98% at pH 3.0 to 30–50% at pH 7.4, indicating the dominance of the electrostatic interaction. Moreover, based on its hydrophobicity and greater surface charge, the PA membrane could separate binary mixtures of protocatechuic/salicylic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic/salicylic acid at pH 9.0, with separation factors of 1.81 and 1.78, respectively. These results provide a greater understanding of solute/membrane interactions and their effect on the penetration of phenolic acids through polymeric ultrafiltration membranes.
