Evaluating the performance of chitosan and chitosan-palm membrane for water treatment: preparation, characterization and purification study

Abstract

In this research, the membranes were stemmed from the biopolymer containing quaternary amine moieties (Chitosan and Chitosan-palm) for nanofiltration purposes. The developed membranes were fully featured using different characterization techniques (SEM), (TGA), zeta potential, and contact angle measurement. The membrane’s features were systematically characterized in hydrophilicity contact angle, surface morphology, and charge on the surface, acidity, and water permeability. The permeability of water for the chitosan membrane with palm was 3.04 ± 0.12 L m−2 h−1bar−1 twice as the average permeability of the pristine chitosan membrane 1.68 ± 0.04 L m−2.h−1.bar−1. The salt rejection was enhanced (from 5% for NaCl to 70% for MgCl2 in the same condition). These membranes could endure up to 22 bar. Therefore, the developed Chitosan and chitosan-palm membranes are more noteworthy for water treatment than the other commercially available membranes and costly activated carbons.