High-performance TFNC membrane with adsorption assisted for removal of Pb(II) and other contaminants

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 424; no. Pt D; p. 127742
• Main Authors: Zhang, Tonghui, Li, Peiyun, Ding, Siping, Wang, Xuefen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.02.2022
• Subjects: Adsorption; Heavy metal ions wastewater treatment; Kinetics; Lead; Metal-Organic Frameworks; Nanofibers; Phthalic Acids; Thin-film nanofibrous composite (TFNC) membrane; UiO-66-(COOH)2; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Purification; Thin-film nanofibrous composite (TFNC) membrane; Adsorption; Heavy metal ions wastewater treatment; UiO-66-(COOH)2; UiO-66-(COOH)
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127742

Rapid and thorough removal of heavy metal ions in wastewater is critical for the urgent need of clean water. Herein, we prepared a high-performance thin film nanofibrous composite (TFNC) membrane consisting of a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-UiO-66-(COOH)2 composite nanofibrous substrate (CPAN) and a calcium alginate (CaAlg) skin layer. Owing to abundant adsorption sites of UiO-66-(COOH)2 MOF, the optimal CPAN-2 nanofibrous substrate showed excellent adsorption capacity for lead ions. The maximum Pb2+ adsorption capacity of CPAN-2 substrate calculated by Langmuir isotherm model was 254.5 mg/g. Meanwhile, due to the relatively loose structure of CaAlg skin layer, this TFNC membrane showed high water permeate flux about 50 L m−2h−1 at 0.1 MPa, and the rejection for dyes was higher than 95%. Therefore, CaAlg/CPAN TFNC membranes were appropriate for dynamic adsorption/filtration to remove Pb2+. Compared with original CaAlg/PAN membrane, the optimal CaAlg/CPAN TFNC membrane showed much better ability to treat Pb(II)-containing wastewater and had good recyclability. Most importantly, the CaAlg/CPAN TFNC membrane could treat 7659 L m−2 wastewater containing single lead ions under WHO drinking water standard, and effectively deal with more simulated lead-containing wastewater. This work could provide a substitutable solution for effective removal of heavy metal ions and other various contaminants in wastewater. [Display omitted] •A new TFNC membrane strategy was proposed to treat heavy metal ions wastewater.•The PAN-UiO-66-(COOH)2 nanofibrous substrate showed excellent adsorption capacity for Pb(II).•The CaAlg skin layer of TFNC membrane possessed high organic rejection with high permeation flux.•The TFNC membrane could quickly and efficiently handle abundant Pb(II)-containing wastewater.