Abstract
Water pollution is one of the challenges that affect the environment issues on earth as it comprises of different kinds of pollutants. Toxic dyes and heavy metals are one of the major pollutants that are being discharged to the environment if they are not well treated. Consuming these wastes result in health hazards that may even be fatal after some time. Removal of these pollutants via adsorption and membrane filtration is cost effective and environmentally benign. Polymer membranes are good bases for making membranes due to their unique properties like excellent aging resistance, good chemical resistance, thermal stability and high mechanical strength. Their hydrophobic nature however succumbs them to fouling as a result of pollutants forming a cake layer on the surface and being trapped inside the pores of the membrane. Permeate flux, solute rejection and flux recovery become affected a decrease in the membrane’s performance and efficiency. Zwitterionic polymers poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene-N,N-dimethylenediamine) p(MAO-DMEA) was used as an adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals and poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene-3-(dimethylamino)-1-propylamine) p(MAO-DMPA) was used to enhance high dye and metal rejection, and antifouling properties in the membranes...
Ph.D. (Chemistry)