Volume 141, Issue 1 e54749
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Enhanced desalination performance and arsenate removal using semi-aromatic polyamide-based pervaporation membranes by modifying with amino-acids via interfacial polymerization

Xuan Minh Pham

Xuan Minh Pham

Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Department of Natural Sciences Teacher Education, Dong Thap University, Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap, Vietnam

Contribution: Conceptualization (lead), Data curation (lead), Formal analysis (lead), Methodology (lead), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal)

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Nguyen Thi Nguyen

Nguyen Thi Nguyen

Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Methodology (equal)

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Thang Van Bui

Thang Van Bui

Department of Natural Sciences Teacher Education, Dong Thap University, Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap, Vietnam

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Methodology (equal)

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Nhu Huynh Thi Nguyen

Nhu Huynh Thi Nguyen

IT and Lab Center, Dong Thap University, Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap, Vietnam

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Methodology (equal)

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Thao Minh Nguyen

Thao Minh Nguyen

Research Affairs Office, Dong Thap University, Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap, Vietnam

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Methodology (equal)

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Pha Ngoc Bui

Pha Ngoc Bui

Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Methodology (equal)

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Ngoc Nhu Thi Nguyen

Ngoc Nhu Thi Nguyen

Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Methodology (equal)

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Mai Thanh Phong

Mai Thanh Phong

Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Contribution: Conceptualization (lead), Methodology (lead), Supervision (supporting)

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Van-Huy Nguyen

Corresponding Author

Van-Huy Nguyen

Centre for Herbal Pharmacology and Environmental Sustainability, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Correspondence

Van-Huy Nguyen, Centre for Herbal Pharmacology and Environmental Sustainability, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Kelambakkam 603103, Tamil Nadu, India.

Email: [email protected]

Le-Hai Tran, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Ward 10, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam

Email: [email protected]

Contribution: Conceptualization (lead), Methodology (lead), Writing - original draft (equal), Writing - review & editing (lead)

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Le-Hai Tran

Corresponding Author

Le-Hai Tran

Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Correspondence

Van-Huy Nguyen, Centre for Herbal Pharmacology and Environmental Sustainability, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Kelambakkam 603103, Tamil Nadu, India.

Email: [email protected]

Le-Hai Tran, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Ward 10, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam

Email: [email protected]

Contribution: ​Investigation (lead), Methodology (lead), Project administration (lead), Supervision (lead), Writing - original draft (lead), Writing - review & editing (lead)

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First published: 03 October 2023
Citations: 1

Abstract

In this study, the semi-aromatic polyamide membranes were synthesized by the interfacial polymerization between piperazine (PIP) monomers in the water phase and Benzene-1,3,5-tricarbonyl chloride in the organic phase. To further modify the semi-aromatic pervaporation membrane, the two amino acids, glycine, and l-lysine, were mixed with PIP monomers for interfacial polymerization. The morphology and physicochemical properties of the synthesized membranes were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and contact angle measurements. The results show that the semi-aromatic polyamide membranes modified by the two amino acids possess a higher hydrophilic surface and lower thickness compared to the unmodified membrane. Additionally, the permeation flux of the semi-aromatic polyamide membranes was improved by 18.6% and 38.5% as modified with glycine and l-lysine, respectively, at the operating temperature of 70°C when the rejection of both NaCl and arsenic are higher than 99.8%. Furthermore, the operating temperature significantly influenced the permeation flux, while the salt rejections were insignificantly affected. The permeation flux increases by 3.2- and 4.0-folds for glycine and lysine-modified membranes, respectively, when elevating the feed temperature from 40°C to 70°C. The highest permeation flux of 29.5 kg m−2 h−1 with a 5 wt% NaCl rejection of 99.8% was obtained at 70°C by using 0.3 wt% l-lysine modified polyamide (PA) membrane. For elimination of 1.5 mg L−1 As solution at the feed temperature of 70°C, such l-lysine modified PA membrane exhibited the permeation flux of 30.5 kg m−2 h−1 and As rejection of 99.6%, respectively. This work provides a cost-saving, facile, and eco-friendly preparation method for effectively improving the permeation flux while not sacrificing the high rejection of salts of the modified membranes.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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