Facile fabrication of low-cost activated carbon bonded polyethersulfone membrane for efficient bacteria and turbidity removal

The current research aimed to fabricate a cost-effective activated carbon disc for the bacteria and turbidity removal in contaminated water using polyethersulfone membrane solution as a bonding agent. The mixing compatibility and bonding stability of the blend activated carbon disc were studied with a bonding strength test. The morphology of activated carbon discs was studied by a microscope. The activated carbon discs had a thick dense layer between the powder. Activated carbon discs significantly removed the total coliforms populations (99%) when evaluated against river water whilst removal by the powder was only up to 90%. The turbidity removal efficiency for the activated carbon increased from 29%-79% with the utilization of membrane as the bonding agent in forming the disc. However, the pH of water treated by the activated carbon powder and disc did not change significantly, yet it lied within the pH range of safe drinking water (6.5–7.7). It revealed the important role of PES membranes for the activated carbon discs to improve coliform and turbidity removal in the water, ensuring the quality of water resources.

Modification of Sulfonated Polyethersulfone Membrane as a Selective Adsorbent for Co(II) Ions

In the current study, a variety of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES)-based ion-exchange membranes were prepared and utilized as efficient and selective solid adsorbents for the detection of Co(II) ions in aquatic solutions. SPES membranes were treated with a variety of cations at a 2:1 ratio overnight. The produced materials were assessed via XRD, FT-IR, SEM, and TGA analyses. The structure of these materials was confirmed by FT-IR and XRD, which also confirmed the inclusion of Na+, NH4+, and amberlite on the SPES surface successfully. TGA analysis showed that the thermal stabilities of these materials were enhanced, and the order of stability was NH4-SPES > SPES > Na-SPES > A-SPES. Furthermore, the efficiency of these modified membranes for the determination and adsorption of a variety of metal ions was also examined by the ICP-OES analytical technique. A-SPES expressed a powerful efficiency of adsorption, and it showed an efficient as well as quantitative adsorption at pH = 6. Moreover, A-SPES displayed the highest adsorption capacity of 90.13 mg/g for Co(II) through the Langmuir adsorption isotherm.