Mechanistic insights into efficient catechol removal using saponin-based emulsion liquid membrane

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Green Chemistry
• Separation Science

Background:

• Catechol is a toxic pollutant from industrial wastewater, harming aquatic life and human health.
• Conventional removal methods can be inefficient or environmentally detrimental.
• There is a need for sustainable and effective catechol remediation technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize saponin-based Emulsion Liquid Membranes (ELM) for green catechol removal.
• To characterize the membrane properties and assess extraction performance.
• To evaluate the feasibility of bio-based ELMs for industrial wastewater treatment.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of oil-based ELM using saponin as a natural emulsifier.
• Characterization of membrane properties (interfacial, rheological, dynamic light scattering).
• Process optimization using Box-Behnken Design and kinetic studies (pseudo-second-order model).

Main Results:

• Optimal conditions yielded 88.9% catechol extraction efficiency with 2% membrane breakage.
• The pseudo-second-order model accurately described the extraction kinetics (k = 0.0576 min⁻¹).
• Saponin-based ELM demonstrated efficient mass transfer and effective catechol removal.

Conclusions:

• Saponin-based ELM presents a viable, eco-friendly technology for catechol removal from wastewater.
• Further research is needed to address long-term stability, selectivity, and scalability.
• Bio-based ELMs show promise for industrial applications and value-added compound recovery.