Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Silver-Polysulfone
nanocomposite
coated candle
Polysulfone
coated candle
Domestic water
puriication unit
16.12
Domestic water purifi cation candles showing the silver coating
for disinfection. The white candle is without silver coating and the
grey one with silver coating.
contaminants, while the nanomaterials can add on selectivity to the system.
This can be illustrated by the following real research examples being carried
out in the workplace of the authors.
Take the case of a domestic polysulfone ultrafi ltration membrane candle
with polysulfone membrane which takes care of the suspended solids,
colour, odour and most importantly microbial contamination. The impreg-
nation of silver nanoparticles into it would assure the product water totally
disinfected and in addition help in restoring the life of the membrane by
making the membrane surface biofouling resistant. Fig. 16.12 shows the
domestic water purifi cation candle with and without silver coating. Using a
similar approach, nanocomposite membrane coatings can be provided for
removal of arsenic using zero-valent iron and removal of pesticides using
titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Also the membranes can be impregnated
with multiple nanoparticles to ensure removal of multiple contaminants
and in turn the system can be designed for region- or fi eld-specifi c water
conditions.
Kar
et al.
(2011) focused on development of nanoparticle embedded
membrane with better biofouling resistant behaviour to be used in waste-
water treatment. Nanocomposite polysulfone (PS) membranes with incor-
poration of nanoparticles of silver (Ag), copper (Cu) and silver-copper
mixture (Ag
Cu) were synthesized (as per the composition shown in Table
16.7) and characterized. Representative cross sections were punched from
each membrane after they are fl ushed with bacteria culture, and placed on
Luria agar plates and incubated at 37
+
C overnight. The results (Fig. 16.13)
showed growth of bacteria in PS and PS
°
+
Cu while no bacterial growth was
detected in PS
Cu. This confi rmed that the impregnation
of silver on to the polysulfone host matrix make the membrane surface less
+
Ag and PS
+
Ag
+
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