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Published on: March 18, 2022
Quantification of hormone-humic acid interactions in nanofiltration
Junjie Shen1, X Jin Yang, Andrea I Schäfer
1School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, United Kingdom.
Environmental Science & Technology
|August 8, 2012
Summary
Solute-solute interactions significantly impact hormone retention in nanofiltration (NF) by affecting hormone binding to organic matter and membranes. Understanding these interactions, influenced by pH and organic matter concentration, is key to predicting hormone removal efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Water Treatment Technologies
Background:
- Hormone contamination in water is a growing environmental concern.
- Nanofiltration (NF) is a promising technology for removing hormones, but its efficiency is affected by complex interactions.
- Understanding solute-solute interactions is crucial for optimizing NF performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the influence of solute-solute interactions on hormone retention during NF.
- To identify the mechanisms governing hormone retention influenced by these interactions.
- To develop a predictive approach for hormone sorption and NF retention.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory-scale cross-flow filtration experiments were conducted.
- Variables studied included organic matter concentration, solution pH, and hormone type.
- Solute-solute interactions between humic acid (HA) and estrone were analyzed.
- Partition coefficients (K_OM) from solid-phase microextraction (SPME) were utilized.
Main Results:
- Humic acid (HA) concentration and solution pH significantly influenced estrone retention and adsorption.
- Below estrone's pK(a), solute-solute interactions enhanced retention; above pK(a), charge repulsion dominated.
- Progesterone exhibited the highest affinity for HA and NF membranes due to hydrogen bonding.
- Predicted retention using K_OM coefficients showed excellent agreement with experimental data.
Conclusions:
- Solute-solute interactions, particularly between humic acid and hormones, play a critical role in NF retention.
- Solution pH is a key factor modulating both solute-solute and solute-membrane interactions.
- The developed predictive approach using K_OM coefficients offers a reliable method for estimating hormone retention in NF systems.
