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Enhancing the Anti-biofouling Properties of Polyethersulfone Membrane Using Chitosan-Powder Activated Carbon Composite

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Abstract

Biofouling is one of the major challenges of membrane technology in water and wastewater treatments. In this work, we investigated the potential of chitosan/chitosan powder activated carbon (PAC) composite to reduce biofouling of membrane. Polyethersulfone (PES) membrane was modified with chitosan/chitosan-PAC composite and the performance of the modified membrane in river water treatment was evaluated. The effect of different concentration of polymer [(chitosan: 2.0% (w/v), 1.0% (w/v), 0.5% (w/v), 0.1% (w/v), and chitosan-PAC composite: 1.5% (w/v) − 1.0 (w/v), 0.5% (w/v) − 0.2% (w/v)] on the membrane performance was examined. The properties of the modified membrane such as roughness, morphology, surface functional groups wettability, swelling ration and contact angle were analyzed. The membrane water flux increased with increasing chitosan concentration from 0.1% (w/v) (7.36 mL/cm2 m) to 1.0% (w/v) (9.46 mL/cm2 m), but decreased at (2.0 w/v) (5.30 mL/cm2 m). However, the water flux for chitosan-PAC-modified membrane was about 6.86 mL/cm2 m, which was slightly lower than unmodified membrane (7.36 mL/cm2 m). The chitosan-modified membrane resulted in 28% reduction in total coliform bacteria while the chitosan-PAC-modified membrane reduced 45% of the total coliform bacteria. These results indicated that chitosan and chitosan-PAC composite could enhance the anti-microbial properties of PES membrane, which would prevent biofilm formation during water treatment.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge financial supports from the Institut Pengurusan dan Pemantauan Penyelidikan, University of Malaya, Malaysia under Government Agency [PPP Grant Number, PG345-2016A].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Hasan. F. Gafri, Fathiah M. Zuki & Mustapha M. Bello

  2. Centre for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Utilization (CCDCU), School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

    Mohamed K. Aroua

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Gafri, H.F., Zuki, F.M., Aroua, M.K. et al. Enhancing the Anti-biofouling Properties of Polyethersulfone Membrane Using Chitosan-Powder Activated Carbon Composite. J Polym Environ 27, 2156–2166 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-019-01505-z

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