Coagulation/co-catalytic membrane integrated system for fouling-resistant and efficient water purification

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Low-pressure catalytic membranes offer efficient water purification but suffer from dissolved organic matter (DOM) accumulation, leading to membrane fouling and reduced catalytic activity.
• Stable operation of catalytic membranes in wastewater treatment is hindered by fouling from DOM, which covers active catalytic sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated system mitigating DOM detrimental effects on catalytic membranes.
• To enhance the performance of catalytic membranes for wastewater treatment by addressing fouling and improving pollutant degradation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a membrane integrated system combining ferric salt coagulation with co-catalytic MoS2 nanosheets.
• Functionalization of polysulfone membranes with 2H-phased MoS2 nanosheets to improve hydrophilicity and fouling resistance.
• Evaluation of the system's performance in DOM coagulation, perxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, and pollutant degradation.

Main Results:

• The MoS2-functionalized membrane exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and fouling resistance compared to the blank membrane.
• The integrated catalytic membrane/PMS/Fe3+ system demonstrated significantly reduced membrane fouling.
• A 2.6-fold increase in pollutant degradation rate was observed in the integrated system compared to the catalytic membrane alone, attributed to DOM coagulation and co-catalytic radical generation.

Conclusions:

• The ferric salt-based coagulation/co-catalytic membrane integrated system effectively mitigates DOM fouling and enhances catalytic efficiency in water purification.
• This approach shows great potential for stable and efficient wastewater treatment applications.
• The study highlights the synergistic benefits of combining coagulation and catalytic functions within a single membrane system.