Ike, Ikechukwu Anthony (2017) Enhancing membrane filtration and persulphate advanced oxidation processes for water treatment. PhD thesis, Victoria University.

Abstract

Membrane filtration processes (MFPs) and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are two highly effective water treatment techniques in common use today. Although conceptually distinct, these processes are used complementarily for efficient water treatment. The aim of this study is to provide practical enhancement of the performance of these techniques to meet growing global water demands. The specific objectives include effective control over the properties and functionalities of membranes and the development and harnessing of new materials and techniques in AOPs. Using controlled laboratory studies and critical review of the relevant literatures, this study provided a number of practical and theoretical insights towards the costeffective and sustainable advancement of MFPs and AOPs to meet the rising global demand for safe and affordable water. Key findings include the delineation of the important effects of common membrane preparatory recipes; the possibility of a facile tailoring of the properties of polymeric membrane using the often-overlooked effects of polymer dissolution conditions; and the demonstration that activated persulphate AOP was effective in resolving the problem of membrane fouling. Other important findings include the demonstrated feasibility of the effective degradation of water pollutants such humic acid, orange G, salicylic acid and naphthylamine, using persulphate activated by either phosphate chelated zerovalent iron nanoparticles, commercially available steel wool and iron powder or waste heat. An in-depth investigation of the practical and potential benefits of nanotechnology to membrane development was presented as well as a critical review of the literature of AOPs focused on persulphate with new insights provided for a consistent understanding of reaction mechanisms. Overall, the results presented in this work may be considered significant contributions to the important fields of MFPs and AOPs with both theoretical and practical implications for the treatment of raw and wastewater.

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