Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds by using low-pressure membrane processes

Abstract

García-Ivars, J.; Iborra Clar, MI.; Massella, M.; Carbonell Alcaina, C.; Alcaina-Miranda, MI. (2017). Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds using low-pressure membrane processes. Desalination and Water Treatment. 69:252-260. doi:10.5004/dwt.2017 ABSTRACTThe increasing demand on water resources throughout the world has motivated researchers to seek new ways to obtain quality water increasing their interest in water reclamation. However, the presence of harmful organic chemicals such as pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) is a serious environmental concern. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the pH on the rejection of seven target PhACs (acetaminophen, caffeine, erythromycin, ibuprofen, naproxen, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim) by different low-pressure membranes within the 2 fine ultrafiltration (UF) and loose nanofiltration (NF) range. For this purpose, three ceramic membranes and a polyamide membrane were used for UF and NF experiments, respectively. Experimental results indicated that PhACs with negative charge were effectively rejected at basic conditions (< 75% for UF, < 90% for NF), improving both their hydrophilicity and solubility with increasing pH. Furthermore, high soluble PhACs with high pKa values showed low rejection values (~15% for UF, ~30% for NF) and a pH-independent behaviour during low-pressure filtration experiments. Therefore, the use of low-pressure membranes could be considered as an appropriate and sustainable supplemental technique to remove PhACs in a wastewater treatment plant.

Sulfonated polyphenylsulfone asymmetric membranes: Effect of coagulation bath (acetic acid‐NaHCO3/isopropanol) on morphology and antifouling properties

“…However, its application in the elaboration of asymmetric membranes for ultrafiltration is limited by the inherent hydrophobic properties and the difficulty to dissolve it and form the asymmetric structure . Several alternatives used to increase the hydrophilicity of a polymer surface have been reported; such as graft polymerization by UV irradiation, plasma modification, random copolymerization, and ion‐beam irradiation . Although these methods have achieved good results in improving hydrophilicity, they show low adhesion and stability on the polymer surface .…”

Synergetic effects of organic and inorganic additives on improvement in hydrophilicity and performance of PVDF antifouling ultrafiltration membrane for removal of natural organic material from water

“…32 Three different experiments were conducted and the average value was reported. From the dry weight (M dry ) and wet weight (M wet ) of membranes, porosity (ε) 33 and equilibrium water content (EWC) 34 were measured for structural the stipulation of plain and hybrid membranes using following equations:…”

“…Three different experiments were conducted and the average value was reported. From the dry weight ( M dry ) and wet weight ( M wet ) of membranes, porosity (ε) 33 and equilibrium water content (EWC) 34 were measured for structural the stipulation of plain and hybrid membranes using following equations: where A , ρ w and l are representing the membrane surface area (cm 2 ), water density (g/cm 3 ), and membrane thickness (cm), respectively. The thickness of the all dry membrane is in the range of 0.07–0.09 mm.…”

Fate of Benzophenone, Benzophenone-3 and Caffeine in Lab-Scale Direct River Water Treatment by Hybrid Processes

“…Yoon et al [47] confirmed the rejection of hydrophobic organic micropollutants caused by adsorption onto UF membranes. Garcia-Ivars et al [48] observed that highly soluble pharmaceuticals (e.g., CF) showed low rejection values (~15%) during ultrafiltration.…”