Abstract:
Lead contamination in water has become a serious issue due to its high toxicity and easy accumulation in human body. Excess uptake of lead can damage the nervous system, kidneys and cardiovascular system. United States Environmental Protection Agency has regulated that the maximum lead concentration is drinking water is 15 g/L.
In this study, a novel zirconium phosphate impregnated PVDF membrane was developed for lead removal from aqueous solution. The zirconium ions were firstly impregnated within the PVDF membrane by coordinated with ether and hydrogen bond, which were produced by crosslinking of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and glutaraldehyde. The resulting membrane was then placed in the phosphate solution for the further surface modification.
The membrane could be used for lead removal. The adsorption kinetics study showed that the adsorption equilibrium was established within 10 h. The adsorption increased with an increase in solution pH; the optimal pH for adsorption was 5.5. The experimental data were better described by Langmuir equation than Freundlich equation; the maximum adsorption capacity of 121.2 mg-Pb/g was achieved at the optimal pH. The adsorption of lead was mainly due to ion exchange between hydrogen of lead ions.
Key words: PVDF membrane, zirconium phosphate, PVA coating, lead, adsorption
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