High-performance self-cleaning cellulose acetate membranes reinforced with nanochitosan for heavy metal removal

Heavy metal contamination in water poses serious environmental and public health risks. This study reports the modification of cellulose acetate (CA) membranes with shrimp shell-derived nanochitosan particles (CSNPs) to enhance antibacterial activity and improve Fe(III),Cu(II) and Mn(II) removal from industrial wastewater. Incorporation of CSNPs significantly increased membrane hydrophilicity, reducing the contact angle from 78.1° (pristine CA) to 52.2° (highest CSNP content), and decreased protein adsorption from ∼75 % to 20 %, indicating markedly improved antifouling performance. The membranes were characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM, while filtration performance and mechanical properties were evaluated via atomic absorption spectroscopy and tensile testing. The modified membranes achieved high removal efficiencies of 96.0 % for Fe(III), 97.41 for Cu(II) and 98.1 % for Mn(II) at 0.5 MPa. Higher CSNP content further enhanced antibacterial activity and structural stability. These results demonstrate a promising strategy to develop multifunctional membranes with superior mechanical strength, antibacterial effects, antifouling behavior, and long-term stability for efficient industrial wastewater treatment.