Eco-friendly membrane process and product development for complete elimination of chromium toxicity in wastewater

Hydrophobic polysulphone (PSf) was reformed into a hydrophilic polymer by sulphonation (via electrophilic substitution) and was subsequently made into a composite by incorporating nano titania to reduce Cr (VI) in the concentrated feed to Cr (III), thus eliminating the hazards of Cr (VI). The modified polymer and its composites were characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The composite membranes exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and flux and were evaluated for the rejection of chromium. The effect of pH and interference of counter ions towards rejection was studied. The charges fixed on the surface of the membrane due to titania, support ionic interactions and facilitated the rejection process. Essentially, rejection of up to 98% was achieved. The innovation of using a bifunctional membrane for the rejection of Cr (VI) together with the removal of its toxicity by photocatalytic reduction, leading to the potential recovery of Cr (III), highlight the uniqueness of this work. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.