Evaluating Membranes for Removing Pharmaceuticals from Water
Author Information
Author(s): Shin Yonghyun, Hwang Tae-Mun, Nam Sook-Hyun, Kim Eunju, Park JeongBeen, Choi Yong-Jun, Kye Homin, Koo Jae-Wuk, Mendoza-Roca José-Antonio, Álvarez-Blanco Silvia, Sánchez-Arévalo Carmen
Primary Institution: Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology
Hypothesis
Can nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes effectively remove trace organic contaminants from wastewater?
Conclusion
Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes are effective technologies for removing pharmaceutically active compounds from wastewater.
Supporting Evidence
- Most pharmaceutical compounds were effectively removed, with RO membranes showing an average removal efficiency of 99.21%.
- NF membranes exhibited high permeate flux with an average removal efficiency of 84.17%.
- The predictive model based on the solution diffusion model correlated well with the experimental data.
Takeaway
This study shows that special filters can clean dirty water by removing harmful medicines and chemicals.
Methodology
Experiments were conducted using a stirred cell setup at various concentrations, stirring speeds, and operating pressures to evaluate membrane performance.
Limitations
The study focused on specific pharmaceutical compounds and may not represent all trace organic contaminants.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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