Incorporation of clay-based adsorbent into polyvinylidene fluoride membrane for enhanced phosphorus capture in aqueous solution
Gabriela T. M. Xavier, A.L. Urzedo, Renan S. Nunes, Pedro S. Fadini, Wagner A. Carvalho
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is a vital component of life, an irreplaceable and non-renewable resource, and is considered a pillar of global food security. The removal and recycling of P from wastewater have recently drawn interest as a sustainable technique for the circular economy of this nutrient. In this study, a chemically modified clay adsorbent was added to the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) solution to produce a material that could adsorb P from the solution. A more porous membrane was then produced using the phase inversion method. The cross-section morphology observed using scanning electron microscopy showed that all membranes possess a heterogeneous structure. Additionally, the P uptake equilibrium was established in 360 min contact time, which led to the removal of 50% (0.75 mg P g −1 ) of the initial P in the solution. The obtained membrane is a promising material with considerable potential for P uptake from solutions.