The study on treatment efficiency of phthalate compound contaminated in water using microfiltration membrane

Abstract

Nowadays, increasing water pollution has put significant pressure on water resources. Natural organic matter and organic micro-pollutants have been found in potentially harmful concentrations in numerous water sources. Phthalate plasticizers are also micro-pollutants of concern; Di- (2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is one of the most frequently observed plasticizers in the environment, as well as one of the most persistent. The maximum permissible levels of these compounds in drinking water and wastewater discharged to the environment are set at low concentrations. In this research, water samples were collected from the New Bang Kaen Canal in Bangkok, Thailand (13°49'06.1"N 100°30'42.4"E), which receives wastewater from human activities and contains impurities in the water. Several common treatment technologies currently used to remove inorganic and organic contaminants from natural water supplies address serious environmental problems. Properly selected, microfiltration membrane processes are elements of effective systems for water purification. Polymeric membranes are of primary interest for membrane separation techniques because they are both practical and effective. However, pretreatment before using a microfiltration membrane is necessary for suspended solids reduction. This research used two types of polymeric membranes, namely cellulose acetate membrane (CA) and polyvinylidene difluoride membrane (PVDF), and covers the most applicable requirements regarding pretreatment of the water intake. The performance of polymeric membranes for water treatment was also investigated. The water quality of the New Bang Kaen Canal was assessed in terms of turbidity, SS, and COD. This research has the potential to contribute to the monitoring of water quality in the New Bang Kaen Canal. Water quality monitoring is a fundamental tool for water resources management. The performance of polymeric microfiltration membranes was effective for water and wastewater purification in terms of solids, organic substances, and micro-pollutant i.e. DEHP compounds. Nevertheless, the further development of polymeric membranes regarding fouling on the membrane surface and within pores needs to be improved to increase membrane performance and ameliorate the limitations of microfiltration polymeric membranes.