Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2018) | Viewed by 74808

Special Issue Editors

National Research Council Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), c/o University of Calabria, Cubo 17C, 87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: membrane science and engineering; membranes in artificial organs; integrated membrane processes; membrane preparation and transport phenomena in membranes; membrane distillation and membrane contactors; catalytic membrane and catalytic membrane reactors; desalination of brackish and saline water; salinity-gradient energy fuel cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Institute on Membrane Technology, National Research Council, ITM-CNR, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
Interests: polymeric membranes; sustainable membrane preparation; bio-polymeric membranes; flat membranes; hollow-fibers; nano fibers; membrane preparation; membrane characterization; pervaporation; antifouling coatings; self-cleaning membranes; ultra-micro filtration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Membranes are applied in different industrial sectors thanks to their low-energy consumption, mild operating conditions, possibility of being integrated with other membranes and conventional production/separation processes, as well as the easy scale-up in the logic of the process intensification. Thanks to these peculiarities, membranes have also been already successfully used in environmental applications. In addition to well-established membrane operations, new ones have been developed, giving the possibility of enlarging the applicative spectrum of membrane units. Moreover, the design, development, and production of novel membranes are also a key point for enhancing the performance of membrane systems. This has to be made[DM1]  also taking in consideration a more sustainable route in making them start from “greener solvent and/or polymer”.

This Special Issue will highlight the importance of the Membrane preparation and their Environmental Applications. It welcomes both original contributions and reviews related to membrane preparation and their applications, mainly for desalination, drinking water production, water and wastewater treatment, Volatile Organic Compounds removal from aqueous or gas streams, CO2 removal, production and recovery of high-added products from wastewater.

Prof. Dr. Enrico Drioli
Dr. Alberto Figoli
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • membrane preparation
  • new membrane materials
  • mixed matrix membrane
  • membranes for wastewater application
  • membranes for environmental application
  • VOC or toxic compounds from water and gas
  • integrated membranes
  • hydrophilic/hydrophobic membranes
  • membrane contactors

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 969 KiB  
Article
Membrane Technologies for Lactic Acid Separation from Fermentation Broths Derived from Renewable Resources
by Maria Alexandri, Roland Schneider and Joachim Venus
Membranes 2018, 8(4), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8040094 - 12 Oct 2018
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5700
Abstract
Lactic acid (LA) was produced on a pilot scale using a defined medium with glucose, acid whey, sugar bread and crust bread. The fermentation broths were then subjected to micro- and nanofiltration. Microfiltration efficiently separated the microbial cells. The highest average permeate flow [...] Read more.
Lactic acid (LA) was produced on a pilot scale using a defined medium with glucose, acid whey, sugar bread and crust bread. The fermentation broths were then subjected to micro- and nanofiltration. Microfiltration efficiently separated the microbial cells. The highest average permeate flow flux was achieved for the defined medium (263.3 L/m2/h) and the lowest for the crust bread-based medium (103.8 L/m2/h). No LA losses were observed during microfiltration of the acid whey, whilst the highest retention of LA was 21.5% for crust bread. Nanofiltration led to high rejections of residual sugars, proteins and ions (sulphate, magnesium, calcium), with a low retention of LA. Unconverted sugar rejections were 100% and 63% for crust bread and sugar bread media respectively, with corresponding LA losses of 22.4% and 2.5%. The membrane retained more than 50% of the ions and proteins present in all media and more than 60% of phosphorus. The average flux was highly affected by the nature of the medium as well as by the final concentration of LA and sugars. The results of this study indicate that micro- and nanofiltration could be industrially employed as primary separation steps for the biotechnologically produced LA. Full article
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14 pages, 4755 KiB  
Article
Effect of Precipitation Temperature on the Properties of Cellulose Ultrafiltration Membranes Prepared via Immersion Precipitation with Ionic Liquid as Solvent
by Daria Nevstrueva, Arto Pihlajamäki, Juha Nikkola and Mika Mänttäri
Membranes 2018, 8(4), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8040087 - 25 Sep 2018
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4112
Abstract
Supported cellulose ultrafiltration membranes are cast from a cellulose-ionic liquid solution by the immersion precipitation technique. The effects of coagulation bath temperature and polymer concentration in the casting solution on the membrane morphology, wettability, pure water flux, molecular weight cut-off, and fouling resistance [...] Read more.
Supported cellulose ultrafiltration membranes are cast from a cellulose-ionic liquid solution by the immersion precipitation technique. The effects of coagulation bath temperature and polymer concentration in the casting solution on the membrane morphology, wettability, pure water flux, molecular weight cut-off, and fouling resistance are studied. Scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy, and filtration experiments are carried out in order to characterise the obtained ultrafiltration cellulose membranes. The results show the effect of coagulation bath temperature and polymer concentration on the surface morphology and properties of cellulose ultrafiltration membranes. Optimisation of the two parameters leads to the creation of dense membranes with good pure water fluxes and proven fouling resistance towards humic acid water solutions. Full article
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10 pages, 1554 KiB  
Article
On-Line NIR to Regulate Pervaporation Process: Application for Dehydration
by Thomas La Rocca, Emilie Carretier, Thomas Clair, Martial Etienne and Philippe Moulin
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030074 - 04 Sep 2018
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3995
Abstract
The regeneration of volatile organic solvents via dehydration tests, from 90 wt %, was evaluated by pervaporation using an on-line near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. Experiments were performed using a bis(triethoxysilyl)methane (BTESM)-based ceramic HybSi® membrane at temperatures of 20, 30 and 40 °C. The [...] Read more.
The regeneration of volatile organic solvents via dehydration tests, from 90 wt %, was evaluated by pervaporation using an on-line near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. Experiments were performed using a bis(triethoxysilyl)methane (BTESM)-based ceramic HybSi® membrane at temperatures of 20, 30 and 40 °C. The presence of an on-line NIR allows continuous monitoring of the process without sampling, and quickly estimates mass fractions of species in the retentate. Dehydration tests were performed at 30 °C in order to confirm the on-line NIR reproducibility, and closely matched results obtained with an off-line densimeter. These results validated the usefulness of the on-line NIR and provided the same precision whatever the mass fraction in the retentate. A good on-line reproducibility was found, with an agreement between the on-line NIR and off-line densimeter, obtaining an average deviation of ±0.058 wt %, ±0.17 wt % and ±0.049 wt %, respectively, at 20, 30 and 40 °C. Full article
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17 pages, 3434 KiB  
Article
The Formation of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Membranes with Tailored Properties via Vapour/Non-Solvent Induced Phase Separation
by Tiziana Marino, Francesca Russo and Alberto Figoli
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030071 - 01 Sep 2018
Cited by 77 | Viewed by 7276
Abstract
The present investigation reports as it is possible to prepared polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) applications, by using triethyl phosphate (TEP) as non–toxic solvent in accordance with the Green Chemistry. Casting solutions containing different concentrations of polyethylene glycol [...] Read more.
The present investigation reports as it is possible to prepared polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) applications, by using triethyl phosphate (TEP) as non–toxic solvent in accordance with the Green Chemistry. Casting solutions containing different concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) were prepared in order to study its effect on the final membrane morphology and properties. The possibility to finely modulate membrane properties was also investigated by applying two different membrane preparation techniques, the Non-Solvent Induced Phase Separation (NIPS) and its coupling with Vapour Induced Phase Separation (VIPS). Membranes’ morphology was detected by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Thickness, porosity, contact angle, pore size and water permeability were also recorded. Both the PEG content in the dope solution and the selected time intervals during which the nascent films were exposed to established relative humidity and temperature were found to play a crucial role in membrane formation. In particular, it was demonstrated as, by varying PEG content between 10 and 20 wt %, and by setting the exposure time to humidity at 0/2.5/5/7.5 min, membranes with different pore diameter and bicontinuous structure, suitable for UF and MF applications, could be easily obtained. Full article
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16 pages, 4505 KiB  
Article
Chemical Crosslinking of 6FDA-ODA and 6FDA-ODA:DABA for Improved CO2/CH4 Separation
by Mohd Zamidi Ahmad, Henri Pelletier, Violeta Martin-Gil, Roberto Castro-Muñoz and Vlastimil Fila
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030067 - 20 Aug 2018
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 6437
Abstract
Chemical grafting or crosslinking of polyimide chains are known to be feasible approaches to increase polymer gas-pair selectivity and specific gas permeance. Different co-polyimides; 6FDA-ODA and 6FDA-ODA:DABA were synthesized using a two-step condensation method. Six different cross-linkers were used: (i) m-xylylene diamine; [...] Read more.
Chemical grafting or crosslinking of polyimide chains are known to be feasible approaches to increase polymer gas-pair selectivity and specific gas permeance. Different co-polyimides; 6FDA-ODA and 6FDA-ODA:DABA were synthesized using a two-step condensation method. Six different cross-linkers were used: (i) m-xylylene diamine; (ii) n-ethylamine; and (iii) n-butylamine, by reacting with 6FDA-ODA’s imide groups in a solid state crosslinking; while (iv) ethylene glycol monosalicylate (EGmSal); (v) ethylene glycol anhydrous (EGAn); and (vi) thermally labile iron (III) acetylacetonate (FeAc), by reacting with DABA carboxyl groups in 6FDA-ODA:DABA. The gas separation performances were evaluated by feeding an equimolar CO2 and CH4 binary mixture, at a constant feed pressure of 5 bar, at 25 °C. Fractional free volume (FFV) was calculated using Bondi’s contribution method by considering the membrane solid density property, measured by pycnometer. Other characterization techniques: thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were performed accordingly. Depending on the type of amine, the CO2/CH4 selectivity of 6FDA-ODA increased between 25 to 100% at the expense of CO2 permeance. We observed the similar trend for 6FDA-ODA:DABA EGmSal-crosslinked with 143% selectivity enhancement. FeAc-crosslinked membranes showed an increment in both selectivity and CO2 permeability by 126% and 29% respectively. Interestingly, FeAc acted as both cross-linker which reduces chain mobility; consequently improving the selectivity and as micro-pore former; thus increases the gas permeability. The separation stability was further evaluated using 25–75% CO2 in the feed with CH4 as the remaining, between 2 and 8 bar at 25 °C. We also observed no CO2-induced plasticization to the measured pressure with high CO2 content (max. 75%). Full article
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12 pages, 2975 KiB  
Article
Immobilization of Graphene Oxide on the Permeate Side of a Membrane Distillation Membrane to Enhance Flux
by Worawit Intrchom, Sagar Roy, Madihah Saud Humoud and Somenath Mitra
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030063 - 15 Aug 2018
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5888
Abstract
In this paper, a facile fabrication of enhanced direct contact membrane distillation membrane via immobilization of the hydrophilic graphene oxide (GO) on the permeate side (GOIM-P) of a commercial polypropylene supported polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane is presented. The permeate side hydrophilicity of the membrane [...] Read more.
In this paper, a facile fabrication of enhanced direct contact membrane distillation membrane via immobilization of the hydrophilic graphene oxide (GO) on the permeate side (GOIM-P) of a commercial polypropylene supported polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane is presented. The permeate side hydrophilicity of the membrane was modified by immobilizing the GO to facilitate fast condensation and the withdrawal of the permeate water vapors. The water vapor flux was found to be as high as 64.5 kg/m2·h at 80 °C, which is 15% higher than the unmodified membrane at a feed salt concentration of 10,000 ppm. The mass transfer coefficient was observed 6.2 × 10−7 kg/m2·s·Pa at 60 °C and 200 mL/min flow rate in the GOIM-P. Full article
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8 pages, 1395 KiB  
Article
An Efficient Polymer Inclusion Membrane-Based Device for Cd Monitoring in Seawater
by Ibrahim Ait Khaldoun, Lynda Mitiche, Amar Sahmoune and Clàudia Fontàs
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030061 - 10 Aug 2018
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3197
Abstract
A novel and simple device that includes a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) has been prepared and tested for the first time to detect low concentration levels of cadmium in seawater. The ionic liquid trihexyl (tetradecyl) phosphonium chloride (THTDPCl) has been shown to be [...] Read more.
A novel and simple device that includes a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) has been prepared and tested for the first time to detect low concentration levels of cadmium in seawater. The ionic liquid trihexyl (tetradecyl) phosphonium chloride (THTDPCl) has been shown to be an effective extractant when incorporated in a PIM that uses cellulose triacetate (CTA) as a polymer. However, it has been reported that the use of a plasticizer is mandatory to ensure an effective transport, which uses both ultrapure water and a nitric acid solution as a stripping phase. A special device incorporating a PIM made of 50% CTA, 40% nitrophenyl octyl ether (as a plasticizer), and 10% THTDPCl, effectively allows the quantitative transport and preconcentration of 10 µg L−1 Cd from seawater samples to a stripping phase consisting of 0.5 M HNO3 solution. This study shows that the efficiency of the PIM system is not affected by high salinity nor the presence of large amounts of other ions, and can thus facilitate Cd monitoring in seawater samples. Full article
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10 pages, 2804 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Silver Coated Polyacrylonitrile Membranes for Water Filtration Applications
by Shalv Amit Parekh, Rebecca Nicole David, Kranthi K. R. Bannuru, Lakshminarasimhan Krishnaswamy and Avinash Baji
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030059 - 08 Aug 2018
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5862
Abstract
The scarcity of drinking water and the contamination of water sources in underdeveloped countries are serious problems that require immediate low-tech and low-cost solutions. In this study, we fabricated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) porous membranes coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and demonstrated their use for [...] Read more.
The scarcity of drinking water and the contamination of water sources in underdeveloped countries are serious problems that require immediate low-tech and low-cost solutions. In this study, we fabricated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) porous membranes coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and demonstrated their use for water filtration and water treatment applications. The membranes were prepared by electrospinning a PAN solution and treating in a hydroxylamine (NH2OH) aqueous solution to form –C(NH2)N–OH groups that were used for functionalization (Ag+ ions) of the membrane. The coordinated silver ions were then converted to silver nanoparticles. The microstructure of the membrane, water permeability, antimicrobial effect (using Escherichia coli), and particulate filtration capabilities were studied. This study verified that the membrane demonstrated a 100% reduction for Gram-negative bacteria with an effective filtration rate of 8.0 mL/cm2 min. Furthermore, the membrane was able to eliminate 60% of latex beads as small as 50 nm and over 80% of the 2 µm beads via gravity filtration. This study demonstrated that PAN–AgNP membranes can be employed as antimicrobial membranes for the filtration of water in underdeveloped countries. Full article
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15 pages, 22840 KiB  
Article
Air Backwash Efficiency on Organic Fouling of UF Membranes Applied to Shellfish Hatchery Effluents
by Clémence Cordier, Christophe Stavrakakis, Patrick Sauvade, Franz Coelho and Philippe Moulin
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030048 - 23 Jul 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5709
Abstract
Among all the techniques studied to overcome fouling generated in dead-end filtration, the injection of air during backwashes proved to be the most effective. Indeed, shear stress engendered by the two-phase flow enhanced particle removal on membrane surface. This work aims to study [...] Read more.
Among all the techniques studied to overcome fouling generated in dead-end filtration, the injection of air during backwashes proved to be the most effective. Indeed, shear stress engendered by the two-phase flow enhanced particle removal on membrane surface. This work aims to study the injection of air to drain the membranes before backwash. Firstly, the efficiency of this backwash procedure was evaluated during the ultrafiltration of seawater on a semi industrial pilot plant using different operating conditions. Then, the treatment of seawater, doped with oyster gametes to simulate the filtration of shellfish hatchery effluents, was performed to confirm the hydraulic performance of the air backwash. Indeed, the release of gametes, expulsed by exotic bivalves in the natural environment, could be a risk for the biodiversity preservation. The impact of air backwash on the integrity of oocytes and spermatozoa was identified using flow cytometry and microscopic analyses. When oyster gametes were added, their retention by ultrafiltration was validated. The impact of air backwash on these species viability was a significant information point for the implementation of this process on shellfish production farms. Full article
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Review

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27 pages, 968 KiB  
Review
Current and Emerging Techniques for High-Pressure Membrane Integrity Testing
by Eddy R. Ostarcevic, Joseph Jacangelo, Stephen R. Gray and Marlene J. Cran
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030060 - 09 Aug 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5815
Abstract
Ideally, pressure driven membrane processes used in wastewater treatment such as reverse osmosis and nanofiltration should provide a complete physical barrier to the passage of pathogens such as enteric viruses. In reality, manufacturing imperfections combined with membrane ageing and damage can result in [...] Read more.
Ideally, pressure driven membrane processes used in wastewater treatment such as reverse osmosis and nanofiltration should provide a complete physical barrier to the passage of pathogens such as enteric viruses. In reality, manufacturing imperfections combined with membrane ageing and damage can result in breaches as small as 20 to 30 nm in diameter, sufficient to allow enteric viruses to contaminate the treated water and compromise public health. In addition to continuous monitoring, frequent demonstration of the integrity of membranes is required to provide assurance that the barrier to the passage of such contaminants is intact. Existing membrane integrity monitoring systems, however, are limited and health regulators typically credit high-pressure membrane systems with only 2 log10 virus rejection, well below their capability. A reliable real-time method that can recognize the true rejection potential of membrane systems greater than 4 log10 has not yet been established. This review provides a critical evaluation of the current methods of integrity monitoring and identifies novel approaches that have the potential to provide accurate, representative virus removal efficiency estimates. Full article
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40 pages, 47726 KiB  
Review
Progress of Nanocomposite Membranes for Water Treatment
by Claudia Ursino, Roberto Castro-Muñoz, Enrico Drioli, Lassaad Gzara, Mohammad H. Albeirutty and Alberto Figoli
Membranes 2018, 8(2), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8020018 - 03 Apr 2018
Cited by 192 | Viewed by 14270
Abstract
The use of membrane-based technologies has been applied for water treatment applications; however, the limitations of conventional polymeric membranes have led to the addition of inorganic fillers to enhance their performance. In recent years, nanocomposite membranes have greatly attracted the attention of scientists [...] Read more.
The use of membrane-based technologies has been applied for water treatment applications; however, the limitations of conventional polymeric membranes have led to the addition of inorganic fillers to enhance their performance. In recent years, nanocomposite membranes have greatly attracted the attention of scientists for water treatment applications such as wastewater treatment, water purification, removal of microorganisms, chemical compounds, heavy metals, etc. The incorporation of different nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes, zinc oxide, graphene oxide, silver and copper nanoparticles, titanium dioxide, 2D materials, and some other novel nano-scale materials into polymeric membranes have provided great advances, e.g., enhancing on hydrophilicity, suppressing the accumulation of pollutants and foulants, enhancing rejection efficiencies and improving mechanical properties and thermal stabilities. Thereby, the aim of this work is to provide up-to-date information related to those novel nanocomposite membranes and their contribution for water treatment applications. Full article
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Other

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13 pages, 2685 KiB  
Brief Report
Self-Cleaning Nanocomposite Membranes with Phosphorene-Based Pore Fillers for Water Treatment
by Joyner Eke, Katherine Elder and Isabel C. Escobar
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030079 - 07 Sep 2018
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5536
Abstract
Phosphorene is a two-dimensional material exfoliated from bulk phosphorus and it possesses a band gap. Specifically, relevant to the field of membrane science, the band gap of phosphorene provides it with potential photocatalytic properties, which could be explored in making reactive membranes that [...] Read more.
Phosphorene is a two-dimensional material exfoliated from bulk phosphorus and it possesses a band gap. Specifically, relevant to the field of membrane science, the band gap of phosphorene provides it with potential photocatalytic properties, which could be explored in making reactive membranes that can self-clean. The goal of this study was to develop an innovative and robust membrane that is able to control and reverse fouling with minimal changes in membrane performance. To this end, for the first time, membranes have been embedded with phosphorene. Membrane modification was verified by the presence of phosphorus on membranes, along with changes in surface charge, average pore size, and hydrophobicity. After modification, phosphorene-modified membranes were used to filter methylene blue (MB) under intermittent ultraviolet light irradiation. Phosphorene-modified and unmodified membranes displayed similar rejection of MB; however, after reverse-flow filtration was performed to mimic pure water cleaning, the average recovered flux of phosphorene-modified membranes was four times higher than that of unmodified membranes. Furthermore, coverage of MB on phosphorene membranes after reverse-flow filtration was four times lower than that of unmodified membranes, which supports the hypothesis that phosphorene membranes operated under intermittent ultraviolet irradiation can become self-cleaning. Full article
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