Hydrophilic nano-aluminum oxide containing polyphenylsulfone hollow fiber membranes for the extraction of arsenic (As-V) from drinking water

In the present work, hollow fiber ultrafiltration membranes were fabricated by incorporating intensified dosages of nano‑aluminum oxide (nano-Al2O3; 0.6 wt%, 1.0 wt% and 1.5 wt%) into cellulose acetate (CA)/polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) and cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP)/PPSU by non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process. The topological structures and the morphologies were investigated using atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystalline and morphological structures of the nano-Al2O3 were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) respectively. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscope (FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis have been carried out to validate the dosages of nano-Al2O3, CA and CAP on PPSU membranes. The membrane's surface charge measurement of 1.5 wt% of nano-Al2O3 in CA/PPSU (ALCA-1.5) was scrutinized by zeta potential analysis. Membranes removed more arsenate oxide as the removal rate from membranes ALCA-1.5 and 1.0 wt% of nano-Al2O3 in CA/PPSU (ALCA-1) was 98.67% and 94.89% with retention permeabilities of 88.41 L/m2h bar and 53.53 L/m2h bar respectively from laboratory prepared 1 ppm of aqueous arsenic solution with pH in the range 6.8 ± 0.2 at 1 bar transmembrane pressure. In addition, membrane's antifouling analysis was performed using laboratory prepared 0.8 g/L (Bovine Serum Albumin) BSA as standard protein solution. [Display omitted] •Hollow fiber membranes containing nano-Al2O3/CA/CAP in PPSU were fabricated.•Nanocomposite membranes exhibited enhanced hydrophilic and antifouling properties.•Fabricated new membranes revealed increased removal of arsenate oxide.•Membrane containing 1.5 wt% nano-Al2O3 in CA/PPSU removed 98.41% of arsenate oxide.