Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 28 No 2 (2024): 423 - 440

 

Fe3O4-DOPED POLYSULFONE MEMBRANE FOR ENHANCED ADSORPTION OF COPPER FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION

 

(Membran Polisulfon Berdop Fe3O4 untuk Peningkatan Penjerapan Kuprum daripada

Larutan Akues)

 

Wan Khairunnisa Wan Ramli1*, Nur Maisyatul Syalina Abdul Wahab1, Siti Khalijah Mahmad Rozi1,2, Syumayyah Rasis1, Gavin Chew Tiong Chuen1, and Lew Guo Liang1

 

1Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kompleks Pusat Pengajian Jejawi 3, 02600 Arau,Perlis, Malaysia

2Centre of Excellence for Biomass Utilization, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, 02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: wankhairunnisa@unimap.edu.my

 

 

Received: 3 November 2023; Accepted: 12 February 2024; Published:  29 April 2024

 

 

Abstract

Water pollution, especially from industrial wastewater has become one of the major global environmental problems. As the result of rapid industrialization, the expansion of industries such as the electroplating industry has resulted in an increase in heavy metals effluent, especially copper, in the wastewater, and this poses detrimental effects on the biodiversity and environment. The abatement of copper pollution has received widespread attention, and continuous research advancement has been observed in adsorption and membrane technology. Nanofiltration membranes with nanopores recorded higher suitability to remove ions but at the expense of membrane fouling as a result of the formation of contaminants on the surface layer that blocks the diffusion of contaminants into the membrane substructure. This research highlights the incorporation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles into the polysulfone (PSf) membrane matrix as an adsorptive membrane and their possible adsorption mechanism towards Cu, which can manifest the combined characteristics of both removal techniques. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using the co-precipitation method. Fe3O4-doped PSf membranes were then synthesized with various concentrations of Fe via the Non-solvent Induced Phase Separation (NIPS) technique. The physicochemical properties of the Fe nanoparticles and the membranes were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), water contact angle and porosity testing. Crystal phase analysis confirmed the formation of magnetite Fe3O4 in a cubic structure. Agglomerations of Fe NPs on the membrane surface were observed for membranes with lower Fe concentrations, suggesting the possibility of poor blending and this contributed to the lower adsorption capability of these membranes. Membranes with 2 wt.% Fe concentration (Fe-2.0) exhibited the highest Cu(II) ions adsorption capacity of 637 mg/g, which is trifold of those recorded for pristine PSF membrane (Fe-0.0). The adsorption data of Cu adsorption were best fitted into the Temkin isotherm and pseudo-second-order models, suggesting an adsorption mechanism involving an exothermic chemical interaction between Cu ions and the Fe3O4 NPs within the membrane. This research confirms the potential of incorporating Fe3O4 in the PSf membrane backbone to enhance Cu removal as an adsorptive membrane, even at lower NP concentrations. 

 

Keywords: adsorptive membrane, copper removal, iron oxide, adsorption kinetics

 

Abstrak

Pencemaran air, terutamanya daripada air sisa industri telah menjadi salah satu masalah alam sekitar yang utama di seluruh dunia. Berikutan pengindustrian yang pesat, peluasan industri seperti industri penyaduran elektrik telah mengakibatkan peningkatan dalam efluen logam berat, terutamanya kuprum, dalam air buangan, dan ini menimbulkan kesan buruk kepada biodiversiti dan alam sekitar. Pengurangan pencemaran kuprum telah mendapat perhatian yang meluas, dan kemajuan penyelidikan berterusan telah diperhatikan dalam teknologi penjerapan dan membran. Membran penapisan nano dengan liang bersaiz nano mencatatkan kesesuaian yang lebih tinggi untuk menyingkirkan ion tetapi dengan mengorbankan penyisikan membran akibat pembentukan lapisan permukaan bahan cemar yang menghalang resapan bahan cemar ke dalam substruktur membran. Penyelidikan ini menekankan penggabungan nanopartikel Fe3O4 ke dalam matriks membran polisulfon (PSf) sebagai membran penjerap dan mekanisme penjerapan yang mungkin terhadap Cu, yang boleh menunjukkan ciri gabungan kedua-dua teknik penyingkiran tersebut. Nanozarah Fe3O4 disintesis menggunakan kaedah pemendakan bersama. Membran PSf terdop Fe kemudiannya disintesis dengan pelbagai kepekatan Fe melalui teknik pemisahan fasa teraruh bukan pelarut (NIPS). Sifat fizikokimia nanopartikel Fe dan membran dinilai menggunakan pembelauan sinar-X (XRD), mikroskop elektron pengimbasan (SEM), sudut sentuhan air dan ujian keliangan. Analisis fasa kristal mengesahkan pembentukan magnetit Fe3O4 dalam struktur kubus. Aglomerasi NP Fe pada permukaan membran diperhatikan untuk membran dengan kepekatan Fe yang lebih rendah, menunjukkan kemungkinan pengadunan yang lemah dan ini menyumbang kepada keupayaan penjerapan yang lebih rendah bagi membran ini. Membran dengan kepekatan Fe 2% berat (Fe-2.0) mempamerkan kapasiti penjerapan ion Cu(II) tertinggi sebanyak 637 mg/g, iaitu tiga kali ganda daripada yang direkodkan untuk membran PSF murni (Fe-0.0). Data penjerapan penjerapan Cu paling baik dipadankan ke dalam model isoterma Temkin dan pseudo-second-order, mencadangkan mekanisme penjerapan yang melibatkan interaksi kimia eksotermik antara ion Cu dan NP Fe3O4 dalam membran. Penyelidikan ini mengesahkan potensi menggabungkan Fe3O4 dalam tulang belakang membran PSf untuk meningkatkan penyingkiran Cu sebagai membran penjerap, walaupun pada kepekatan NP yang lebih rendah.

 

Kata kunci: membran penjerap, penyingkiran kuprum, ferum oksida, isoterma penjerapan, kinetik penjerapan

 

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