Removal of bisphenol A in aqueous solution by micellar enhanced ultrafiltration

Key words: 
• micellar enhanced ultrafiltration /
• surfactants /
• bisphenol A

Abstract: Micellar-enhanced ulrafiltration(MEUF) was used to remove bisphenol A from aqueous solution using two polysulfone membranes of 1 000 and 5 000 Dalton molecule weight cut-off (MWCO),one regenerated cellulose membrane of 1 000 Dalton molecule weight cutoff. Experiments were performed as a function of an anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate(SDBS), an cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride and three nonionic surfactants TritionX-100, Tween-80 and alkyl polyglycosides. The effects of some important parameters were investigated, including different material and weight cut-off membranes, the concentration of surfactants, transmembrane pressure, solution pH and the concentration of feed electrolyte. The results show that SDBS had great effect on the removal efficiency of bisphenol A, the rejection of bisphenol A was more than 80%. It is shown that the rejection of bisphenol A increased and the permeate concentration of SDBS decreased by free ions (H+ and Na+). SDBS and nonionic surfactants mixed micelles can increase the rejection of bisphenol A and decrease the permeate concentration of SDBS. The preferential order is Tween-80, TritonX-100 and alkyl poly-glycosides.