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

Membrane distillation of pesticide solutions using hydrophobic track-etched membranes

Arman B. Yeszhanov, Ilya V. Korolkov, Yevgeniy G. Gorin, Saule S. Dosmagambetova, and Maxim V. Zdorovets

L.N.Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan

E-mail: a.yeszhanov@inp.kz

Received: 26 March 2020  Accepted: 24 April 2020

Abstract:

In connection with the widespread use of pesticides, the question arose of their possible danger to humans and the environment. The danger of using pesticides can be associated with the presence of residues in food products, with the pollution of water bodies, soil and other objects. Therefore, water treatment from pesticides is a major environmental task. In this study, the hydrophobic poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) track-etched membranes (TeMs) obtained by graft polymerization of triethoxyvinylsilane (TEVS) and covalent attachment of 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorododecyltrichlorosilane (PFDTS) were tested in the water treatment from a pesticide (carbendazim) using direct contact membrane distillation. Hydrophobic PET TeMs were characterized by scanning electron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, liquid entry pressure analysis. The hydrophobization of PET TeMs led to a rapid increase in the contact wetting angle and reached to 134°. The efficiency of water purification from carbendazim was evaluated by water-flux measurements and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The carbendazim solution was used at a concentration of 5, 10 and 20 mg/l. The largest permeate flux of hydrophobized membranes was 214 g/m² h. Concentration of carbendazim in permeate solution was less than 100 µg/l.

Keywords: Carbendazim; Water treatment; Direct contact membrane distillation; UV-induced graft polymerization; Track-etched membranes

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-020-01173-7

Chemical Papers 74 (10) 3445–3453 (2020)