ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Application of emulsion nanofluid membrane for the removal of methylene blue dye: stability study

Manjakuppam Malika, Aaditi Pargaonkar, and Shriram S. Sonawane

Department of Chemical Engineering, B V Raju Institute of Technology, Narsapur, India

E-mail: shriramsonawane@gmail.com

Received: 7 January 2023  Accepted: 23 February 2023

Abstract:

Abstract

Emulsion Liquid Membranes (ELMs) are effective techniques for separating metallic and organic compounds from aqueous solutions. Water in oil (W/O) emulsions are often distributed in wastewater (continual external phase) to generate the stable emulsion liquid membrane (W/O/W). Because of the large interfaces, ELM is known to have thermodynamic instability in membrane phases. In this study, we utilized highly stable Al₂O₃ nanofluid to the membrane phase along with the surfactant (Span 80) to develop the Emulsion Nanofluid Membrane (ENM). The highly stable ENM's liquid membrane phase was made up of Span 80 emulsified Kerosene (Carrier liquid), Al₂O₃ nanofluid, internal phase (NaOH and H₂SO₄), and external phases (Methylene blue—MB dye solution). At optimum conditions of 10 mL emulsion membrane volume, 100 mL external phase volume, 20 mL stripping phase volume, 1:2 stripping phase to membrane phase ratio, 3 min emulsification time, and 0.1 M NaOH stripping agent, and 0.03 Vol% of surfactant concentration a total extraction of 99% of MB can be achieved within the first 15 min. The current study provides a cost-effective scale-up and highly efficient simultaneous selective removal and recovery of industrial wastewater over typical separation operations.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords: Emulsion nanofluid membrane (ENM); Extraction efficiency; Nanofluid; Methylene blue; Emulsion liquid membrane (ELM); Stability

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-023-02757-9

Chemical Papers 77 (7) 3967–3977 (2023)