Work

Novel fabrication techniques for HKUST-1 adsorptive nanocomposite membrane for heavy metals removal from wastewater

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Managing heavy metal ions in wastewater is imperative due to their profound impacts on human health and the ecosystem. Membranes endowed with adsorptive features present a highly promising solution for the efficient removal of contaminants such as cadmium (Cd 2+ ), nickel (Ni 2+ ), and lead (Pb 2+ ). This study focuses on the preparation of adsorptive membranes by immobilizing HKUST-1 metal-organic framework on the surface of polyethersulfone (PES) for the removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater. HKUST-1 was integrated onto the membrane surface via gelatin-assisted growth and in-situ growth techniques, and further incorporated into a PES polymer matrix. Comprehensive characterization of these modified membranes was conducted using the FESEM, XRD, FTIR, EDAX, and contact angle analyses. The findings revealed that the PES/J (gelatin-assisted growth) membrane, in combination with the PES/I (in-situ growth) membrane, exhibited superior efficacy in heavy metal removal. Notably, the pure water flux of the gelatin-seed membrane increased approximately 2.5-fold compared to the pristine membrane. The PES/J membrane demonstrated high fluxes ranging between 80 and 140 lit/m 2 .h.bar, whereas the pristine PES membrane had fluxes around 25–50 lit/m 2 .h.bar. Furthermore, a uniform dispersion of HKUST-1 crystals on the membrane surface was observed for the adsorptive membrane prepared via the gelatin-assisted growth method, which led to a heavy metal removal efficiency of 100% after 80 min for Cd 2+ and Ni 2+ and 60 min for Pb 2+ ions. The synthesis and characterization of these adsorptive nanocomposite membranes (ANMs) via in-situ growth, gelatin-assisted growth, and mixed matrix approaches demonstrate their potential for efficient heavy metal removal from wastewater.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-99135-0

Authors: Somayeh Saad Alwain Al-Qaisi, Ahmadreza Raisi, Qusay F. Alsalhy

Institutions: Amirkabir University of Technology, University of Technology - Iraq

Language: English

Topic: Membrane Separation Technologies

Subfield: Water Science and Technology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690