Development of a nanocomposite membrane for organic dye removal

Abstract

Contaminated wastewater poses a significant threat to both the ecosystem and human health. The annual production of commercial dyes exceeds 7x105 tonnes, with the textile industry being responsible for two-thirds of the consumption [1]. Moreover, an estimated 10-20% of the manufactured dye is annually released into the effluent stream [2]. Previous literature indicates that adsorption offers promising solutions to organic dye removal owing to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Adsorption is fundamentally defined as the process through which ions, atoms and molecules are retained on solid surfaces via physical or chemical bonding. The literature extensively covers adsorbents designed for individual removal of either anionic or cationic dyes. However, research on techniques for simultaneous removal of both types of dyes is limited. As anionic and cationic dye molecules contain charges, adsorption can initiate through the formation of electrostatic bonding.