Improving Hydrophilicity of Polyethersulfone Membrane Using Silver Nanoparticles for Humic Substances Removal

Authors

Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Cheras, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

Silver-impregnated membrane was facilely prepared by ex situ silver nanoparticles (NPs) blending method using polyethersulfone (PES) as the base polymer. A total of three membranes [F1(S0), F2(S0.5) and F3(S2.0)] were fabricated at different weight percentages of polymer and silver (Ag) loadings to compare their effects on membrane morphological and performance properties. All membrane types were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential analyzer and contact angle analysis. Characterization data and background theories from the literature were used to study and relate the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the physicochemical properties of the PES/Ag composite membranes with respect to pure water permeability, structural property, surface charge and surface hydrophilicity. Solute rejection performance and antibacterial property of the PES/Ag composite membranes were performed using humic acid (HA) and Escherichia coli (E. Coli) bacteria. The results showed that the membrane with the highest Ag loading (F3) exhibited the highest pure water permeability among all the composite membranes. This phenomenon could be attributed to the morphological changes of the membrane due to the addition of Ag. In this study, contact angle of the membranes showed decreasing trend with the addition of Ag as well as the increase in Ag loading. On the contrary, pore radius of the membranes was found increased with increasing in Ag loading. Owing to this, the F3 membrane demonstrated relatively lower HA rejection (i.e. 89.55%) compared to the pure PES membrane. In terms of the antibacterial performance evaluation, one can confidently state that the membranes with the addition of Ag showed excellent property in biofouling mitigation based on numerous dead E. coli observed on the membrane surface under SEM analysis.

Keywords

References

  1. Thuyavan, Y. L., Anantharaman, N., Arthanareeswaran, G., Ismail, A. F., "Impact of solvents and process conditions on the formation of polyethersulfone membranes and its fouling behavior in lake water filtration", Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, Vol. 91, (2016), 2568-2581.
  2. Koo, C. H., Lau, W. J., Lai, G. S., Lai, S. O., Thiam, H. S., Ismail, A. F., “Thin‐Film Nanocomposite Nanofiltration Membranes Incorporated with Graphene Oxide for Phosphorus Removal”, Chemical Engineering & Technology, Vol. 41, (2018), 319-326.
  3. Koo, C. H., Mohammad, A. W., Suja’, F., “Effect of cross-flow velocity on membrane filtration performance in relation to membrane properties”, Desalination and Water Treatment, Vol. 55, (2015), 678-692.
  4. Singer, P. C., "Humic substances as precursors for potentially harmful disinfection by-products", Water Science and Technology, Vol. 40, (1999), 25-30.
  5. Charlene, C. H. K., Wong, K. H., Chong, W. C., Thiam, H. S., “Chemical Cleaning of Nanofiltration Membranes Fouled by Organic Matters”, Journal of Engineering Science and Technology, Vol. 11, (2016), 987-1000.
  6. Ahmad, A. L., Abdulkarim, A. A., Ismail, S., Ooi, B. S., "Preparation and characterisation of PES-ZnO mixed matrix membranes for humic acid removal", Desalination and Water Treatment, Vol. 54, (2014), 3257-3268.
  7. Li, J.-H., Shao, X.-S., Zhou, Q., Li, M.-Z., Zhang, Q.-Q., "The double effects of silver nanoparticles on the PVDF membrane: Surface hydrophilicity and antifouling performance", Applied Surface Science, Vol. 265, (2013), 663-670.
  8. Basri, H., Ismail, A. F., Aziz, M., "Polyethersulfone (PES)–silver composite UF membrane: Effect of silver loading and PVP molecular weight on membrane morphology and antibacterial activity", Desalination, Vol. 273, (2011), 72-80.
  9. Nemati, M., Hosseini, S. M., “Thin Film Heterogeneous Ion Exchange Membranes Prepared by Interfacial Polymerization of PAA-co-Iron-Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles on Polyvinylchloride Based Substrate”, International Journal of Engineering Transactions C: Aspects, Vol. 29, (2016), 297-305.
  10. Ananth, A., Arthanareeswaran, G., Ismail, A. F., Mok, Y. S., Matsuura, T., "Effect of bio-mediated route synthesized silver nanoparticles for modification of polyethersulfone membranes", Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Vol. 451, (2014), 151-160.
  11. Huang, L., Zhao, S., Wang, Z., Wu, J., Wang, J., Wang, S., "In situ immobilization of silver nanoparticles for improving permeability, antifouling and anti-bacterial properties of ultrafiltration membrane", Journal of Membrane Science, Vol. 499, (2016), 269-281.
  12. Marambio-Jones, C., Hoek, E. M. V., "A review of the antibacterial effects of silver nanomaterials and potential implications for human health and the environment", Journal of Nanoparticle Research, Vol. 12, (2010), 1531-1551.
  13. Andrade, P. F., de Faria, A. F., Oliveira, S. R., Arruda, M. A., Goncalves Mdo, C., "Improved antibacterial activity of nanofiltration polysulfone membranes modified with silver nanoparticles", Water Research, Vol. 81, (2015), 333-342.
  14. Li, W. R., Xie, X. B., Shi, Q. S., Zeng, H. Y., Ou-Yang, Y. S., Chen, Y. B., "Antibacterial activity and mechanism of silver nanoparticles on Escherichia coli", Applied Microbiology Biotechnology, Vol. 85, (2010), 1115-1122.
  15. Choi, O., Yu, C. P., Esteban Fernandez, G., Hu, Z., "Interactions of nanosilver with Escherichia coli cells in planktonic and biofilm cultures", Water Research, Vol. 44, (2010), 6095-6103.
  16. Lee, K. H., Rah, S. C., Kim, S.-G., "Formation of monodisperse silver nanoparticles in poly(vinylpyrrollidone) matrix using spray pyrolysis", Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, Vol. 45, (2008), 187-193.
  17. Wang, H., Qiao, X., Chen, J., Wang, X., Ding, S., "Mechanisms of PVP in the preparation of silver nanoparticles", Materials Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 94, (2005), 449-453.
  18. Babu, V. R., Kim, C., Kim, S., Ahn, C., Lee, Y.-I., "Development of semi-interpenetrating carbohydrate polymeric hydrogels embedded silver nanoparticles and its facile studies on E. coli", Carbohydrate Polymers, Vol. 81, (2010), 196-202.
  19. Zodrow, K., Brunet, L., Mahendra, S., Li, D., Zhang, A., Li, Q., Alvarez, P. J., "Polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes impregnated with silver nanoparticles show improved biofouling resistance and virus removal", Water Research, Vol. 43, (2009), 715-723.
  20. Mollahosseini, A., Rahimpour, A., Jahamshahi, M., Peyravi, M., Khavarpour, M., "The effect of silver nanoparticle size on performance and antibacteriality of polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane", Desalination, Vol. 306, (2012), 41-50.
  21. Chong, W. C. , Mahmoudi, E. , Chung, Y. T. , Koo, C. H., Mohammad, A. W., Kamarudin, K. F., “Improving performance in algal organic matter filtration using polyvinylidene fluoride–graphene oxide nanohybrid membranes”, Algal Research, Vol. 27, (2017), 32-42.
  22. Koo, C. H., Mohammad, A. W., Suja, F., Meor Talib, M. Z., "Setting-up of modified fouling index (MFI) and crossflow sampler-modified fouling index (CFS-MFI) measurement devices for NF/RO fouling", Journal of Membrane Science, Vol. 435, (2013), 165-175.
  23. Bagheripour, E., Moghadassi, A., Hosseini, S. M., “Preparation of Polyvinylchloride Nanofiltration Membrane: Investigation of the Effect of Thickness, Prior Evaporation Time and Addition of Polyethylenglchol as Additive on Membrane Performance and Properties”, International Journal of Engineering Transactions C: Aspects, Vol. 29, (2016), 280-287.
  24. Basri, H., Ismail, A. F., Aziz, M., Nagai, K., Matsuura, T., Abdullah, M. S., Ng, B. C., "Silver-filled polyethersulfone membranes for antibacterial applications — Effect of PVP and TAP addition on silver dispersion", Desalination, Vol. 261, (2010), 264-271.
  25. Bagheripour, E., Hosseini, S. M., Hamidi, A. R., Moghadassi, A. R., "Fabrication and Characterization of Novel Mixed Matrix Polyethersulfone Based Nanofiltration Membrane Modified by Ilmenite", International Journal of Engineering Transactions A: Basics, Vol. 30, (2017), 7-14.
  26. Ngang, H. P., Ooi, B. S., Ahmad, A. L., Lai, S. O., "Preparation of PVDF–TiO2 mixed-matrix membrane and its evaluation on dye adsorption and UV-cleaning properties", Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol. 197, (2012), 359-367.
  27. Liu, J., Hurt, R. H., "Ion release kinetics and particle persistence in aqueous nano-silver colloids", Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 44, (2010), 2169-2175.
  28. Susanto, H., Ulbricht, M., "Characteristics, performance and stability of polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes prepared by phase separation method using different macromolecular additives", Journal of Membrane Science, Vol. 327, (2009), 125-135.
  29. Jiang, B.-B., Sun, X.-F., Wang, L., Wang, S.-Y., Liu, R.-D., Wang, S.-G., "Polyethersulfone membranes modified with D-tyrosine for biofouling mitigation: Synergistic effect of surface hydrophility and anti-microbial properties", Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol. 311, (2017), 135-142.
  30. Han, Y., Jiang, Y., Gao, C., "High-flux graphene oxide nanofiltration membrane intercalated by carbon nanotubes", ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Vol. 7, (2015), 8147-8155.
  31. Chong, W. C., Mahmoudi, E., Chung, Y. T., B., M. M., Koo, C. H., Mohammad, A. W., "Polyvinylidene fluoride membranes with enhanced antibacterial and low fouling properties by incorporating ZnO/rGO composites", Journal of Desalination and Water Treatment, Vol. 10, (2017), 1-10.
  32. Al Malek, S. A., Abu Seman, M. N., Johnson, D., Hilal, N., "Formation and characterization of polyethersulfone membranes using different concentrations of polyvinylpyrrolidone", Desalination, Vol. 288, (2012), 31-39.
  33. Wang, W., Yang, H., Wang, X., Jiang, J., Zhu, W., "Effects of fulvic acid and humic acid on aluminum speciation in drinking water", Journal of Environmental Sciences, Vol. 22, (2010), 211-217.
  34. Maheswari, P., Prasannadevi, D., Mohan, D., "Preparation and performance of silver nanoparticle incorporated polyetherethersulfone nanofiltration membranes", High Performance Polymers, Vol. 25, (2013), 174-187.
  35. Ziegler, U., Groscurth, P., "Morphological Features of Cell Death", News in Physiological Sciences, Vol. 19, (2004), 124-128.
  36. Trevors, J. T., "Identification of Plasmid Containing Bacteria in an Activated Sludge Reactor", Environmental Toxicology & Water Quality, Vol. 2, (1987), 283-291.
International Journal of Engineering
Volume 31, Issue 8
TRANSACTIONS B: Applications
August 2018
Pages 1364-1372

Files

Cited by

Share

How to cite

Statistics