OPTIMIZATION OF THIN FILM COMPOSITE NANOFILTRATION MEMBRANE FOR THE REMOVAL OF HEAVY METALS

Abstract

Prevalent in both wastewater and drinking water, heavy metals pose a risk to human health and the environment. Adsorption, membrane, chemical, electric, and photocatalytic treatments could be used to remove these metals from wastewater. Membrane-based separation processes such as nanofiltration, have emerged as a viable substitute for conventional separation processes due to lower energy consumption, higher separation efficiency, and various other advantages. Thin film composite (TFC) membranes that consist of a highly porous polymeric support and an ultrathin selective layer are industrially made nanofiltration membranes that have shown a strong potential for heavy metal removals from wastewater.