Surfactant-aided membrane process for copper ion removal from water solutions

The usefulness of micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) for copper ion removal was evaluated. The experiments were performed in a semi-pilot installation in a cross-flow regime with the use of ultrafiltration modules (5 kDa and 10 kDa). The first stage of the tests included copper ion removal in the classic UF process. During the next step, anionic surfactant (sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, SDBS) was added to the feed solution in a wide range of concentrations. The effect of copper and surfactant concentrations on separation efficiency and permeate flux was evaluated. It was found that MEUF enables high copper ion removal. Depending on surfactant concentration in the feed solution, the average copper concentration in the permeate was in the range from 0.02 to 0.08 mM (feed solution 0.79 mM). Surfactant rejection was strongly dependent on its concentration in the feed; the highest retention was obtained when surfactant was in the form of micelles, i.e., for concentrations exceeding the CMC.

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Opracowanie rekordu w ramach umowy 509/P-DUN/2018 ze środków MNiSW przeznaczonych na działalność upowszechniającą naukę (2018).