Visible light photosensitised cross-flow microfiltration membrane reactors for managing microplastic-contaminated...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Engineering
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Advanced water treatment requires multifunctional membranes with enhanced efficacy.
• Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are organic photosensitizers with potential for photodynamic applications.
• Developing visible-light-responsive membranes is crucial for efficient water purification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop phthalocyanine-modified polymeric microfiltration membranes for water treatment.
• To create multifunctional membrane reactors with enhanced photodynamic and filtration properties.
• To investigate the impact of different phthalocyanines on membrane performance.

Main Methods:

• Integration of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc), zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), tetra-amino zinc phthalocyanine (TAZnPc), and tetra-sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine (TSAlPc) into microfiltration membranes.
• Characterization of membrane morphology, wettability, and optical responsiveness.
• Evaluation of photodynamic efficacy for dye degradation and bacterial inactivation.
• Filtration trials for microplastic rejection, permeance stability, and viral retention.

Main Results:

• Phthalocyanine integration modified membrane morphology, wettability, and chemical functionality.
• ZnPc mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) showed superior dye degradation and biofouling resistance.
• TSAlPc grafted membranes (GMs) and MMMs demonstrated significant bacterial inactivation and viral retention (2.05-log reduction of Influenza A virus).
• ZnPc MMM achieved 99.97% rejection of bio-fouled microplastics and a 45% permeance enhancement under irradiation.

Conclusions:

• Phthalocyanine-functionalized membranes are promising for advanced water treatment.
• These membranes offer a multifunctional platform for contaminant rejection, biofouling control, and antimicrobial efficacy.
• Visible-light-responsive membranes provide a sustainable solution for water purification challenges.