Optimum operating parameters for PES nanocomposite membranes for mebeverine hydrochloride removal

This study aims to optimize operating parameters of the effect of embedded silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) and modified silica NPs with polyethylenimine (PEI) (SiO2-g-PEI NPs) into polyethersulfone (PES) to fabricate a mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. The performance of modified MMMs was compared in the separation of Mebeverine hydrochloride (MBV) from aqueous pharmaceutical wastewater. In order to produce a particular quantity of flux and rejection above desired levels, an optimization technique was used to find the best values for various important process parameters. To enhance the effectiveness on a bigger scale, response surface methodology (RSM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were utilized as mathematical and statistical approaches. This study examined the effects of operational parameters on the PES-NPs membranes permeate flux and MBV rejection for each sample. These parameters included SiO2/or SiO2-g-PEI NPs content (0.7–1 wt %), solution feed pH values (4-10), and MBV concentration (10–100 ppm). A mathematical model to calculate the permeate flux and rejection (%) was established. The results showed that the SiO2 MMMs had the best performance of 38.27 LMH permeate flux and 81.26% of MBV rejection, while the permeate flux and MBV rejection % for SiO2-g-PEI MMMs were 104.11LMH and 99.00%. The SiO2 wt % of 0.8447%, MBV concentration of 98.18 ppm, and pH of 4 were the optimal parameters for the SiO2 MMMs, while the optimal parameters for SiO2-g-PEI MMMs were SiO2-g-PEI wt. % of 0.93%, MBV concentration of 22.7 ppm, and pH of 4.79 for eliciting the optimum response.