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Gene expression programming for process parameter optimization during ultrafiltration of surfactant wastewater using
Aydin Shishegaran1, Arash Nazem Boushehri2, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail3
1Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
Journal of Environmental Management
|March 29, 2020
Summary
This study enhanced polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes with polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP) for removing anionic surfactant Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The modified membranes showed improved hydrophilicity, water flux, and porosity for effective wastewater treatment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Surfactants, like Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), are emerging contaminants with detrimental ecosystem effects.
- Effective removal of surfactants from wastewater is crucial for environmental protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate hydrophilic polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP) modified polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes for anionic surfactant removal.
- To analyze the influence of operating variables on membrane performance.
- To assess the predictive capabilities of numerical modeling methods for membrane performance.
Main Methods:
- Modification of PES ultrafiltration membranes with PVP (5-15 wt%).
- Characterization of membrane properties (contact angle, water flux, porosity).
- Experimental analysis of membrane performance under varying operating conditions (transmembrane pressure, feed concentration, temperature).
- Application and comparison of numerical modeling techniques: multiple linear regression (MLR), multiple Ln-equation regression (MLnER), and gene expression programming (GEP).
Main Results:
- PVP modification significantly decreased the contact angle of PES membranes, indicating enhanced hydrophilicity (e.g., 10 wt% PVP reduced contact angle to 23.8° from 70.7°).
- Water flux and porosity were enhanced in PVP-modified PES membranes.
- Optimal operating conditions for SDS removal were identified as 3 bar transmembrane pressure, 100 ppm feed concentration, and 25°C.
- Gene expression programming (GEP) demonstrated a strong correlation with experimental data and outperformed MLR and MLnER in predicting membrane performance.
Conclusions:
- Hydrophilic PVP-modified PES membranes are effective for removing anionic surfactant SDS from wastewater.
- Numerical modeling, particularly GEP, offers a reliable approach for predicting membrane performance in surfactant wastewater treatment.
- This study provides insights into advanced numerical methods for optimizing membrane-based water treatment processes.
