The Photocatalytic degradation of selected phenolic compounds and biological contaminations in the Vaal River in mitigation of fouling of specific polymer membranes
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Date
2019-04
Authors
Kotlhao, Kate
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Abstract
Water quality from surface sources is fast deteriorating due to pollution from organic compounds. Among the organic compounds are chlorophenols, which are described as priority pollutants because of their detrimental effects. One way of removing them from water is by using membranes. However direct removal of chlorophenols using membranes is limited due to the inherent problem of membrane fouling. The thesis describes fabrication of thin film composite membranes modified with Ag-TiO2 and Ag-ZnO for enhancing filtration properties of the membranes for removal of 2-CP and 2,4-DCP and improving the antifouling properties of the modified membranes. Chlorophenols, 2- CP, 2,4-DCP and 2, 4, 6-TCP were determined from Vaal and Klip River using SPE- HLPC method. The SPE - HPLC method was validated by determining breakthrough volume, repeatability, reproducibility, linearity, MDL and LOQ. Nanoparticles (NPs), Ag, ZnO and TiO2 and nanocomposites (NCs), Ag-TiO2 and Ag-ZnO were synthesized using precipitation method and chemical reduction for Ag. The NPs and NCs were characterised using UV-Vis, FTIR, XRD, SEM and EDX. The synthesised NPs and NCS were evaluated for photocatalytic degradation of 2-CP and 2,4-DCP, antimicrobial activity against E.coli. and toxicity against Daphnia magna. Nanocomposites were then embedded into the PA thin film membrane surface using interfacial polymerisation and PES as a support material to produce the antifouling Ag-TiO2/PA-TFC and Ag-ZnO/PA-TFC membranes. The control PATFC membrane was prepared with no added NCs to the membrane. The membranes were characterised using ATR-FTIR, contact angle, SEM and AFM. The performance of the membranes was tested using permeation flux (using pure water and 2-CP / 2,4-DCP solutions as feed) against the neat PA-TFC membrane. Membranes were further tested for rejection of 2- CP and 2, 4 – DCP, antifouling properties and flux recoveries. The stability of the antifouling properties of the membrane was evaluated through silver release test. The performance of the membranes was tested using real water samples from Vaal and Klip Rivers. The SPE-HPLC method was repeatable, reproducible with % RSD less than 5%. Linearity range of (0.1-50 µg/ L) and recoveries of spiked water samples of more than 97% for 2-CP and 2,4-DCP but lower at 64 and 75% for 2.4.6-TCP were achieved. The Ag, TiO2 and ZnO NPs showed characteristic peaks of NPs with UV-Vis. The absorption peaks were all blue shifted due to quantum confinements. The crystalline structures were confirmed as face centred cubic, anatase and hexagonal wurzite for Ag, TiO2 and ZnO respectively. The morphology as observed from SEM showed spherically shaped nanoparticles with average sizes of 68.25 ± 4.7 and 50.92 ± 3.39 nm for Ag and TiO2 respectively. The ZnO NPs were rod -like shaped with average length = 603 nm ± 50.4 and a width = 82.92 ± 5. 40nm. Successful incorporation of silver into the TiO2 and ZnO structures was confirmed by elemental analysis, EDX. From SEM images, silver particles were distributed around TiO2 particles and ZnO rods. The presence of silver showed a remarkable improvement in photodegradation of 2-CP and 2,4-DCP from less than 40% to 86% with 2, 4- DCP. Silver modified TiO2 and ZnO showed antibacterial activity against E.coli. with minimum concentration of inhibition as low as 1.56 mg/L for both Ag-ZnO (5) and Ag-TiO2 (5). Silver was more toxic against Daphnia magna than Ag-ZnO (5) and AgTiO2 (5). The polyamide layer was confirmed by the presence of the amide I peak at 1650 cm1 and 1670 cm-1 in the Ag-TiO2/ PA-TFC and Ag-ZnO/ PA-TFC membranes. The appearance of NCs particles spread across the surface of the thin layer of the membranes as observed from surface SEM images confirming their incorporation into the PA layer. The presence of the NCs in the membranes improved water flux, water permeation, rejection of 2- CP, and 2,4-DCP, antifouling properties of the membranes and flux recoveries of more than 93 % was achieved. Silver release test revealed that Ag-ZnO/PA-TFC membrane performed better than AgTiO2/PA-TFC membrane because of the steady release of silver, which shows long lasting antifouling properties. When applied to real water samples from Vaal and Klip River, the prepared membranes showed better antifouling properties than the neat PA-TFC membrane
Description
Ph. D. (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences), Vaal University of Technology.
Keywords
Water quality., Water., Chlorophenols., Water pollution., Compounds., Vaal River.