Hematite based ultrafiltration membrane prepared from pyrrhotite ash waste for textile wastewater treatment

Abstract

An α-Fe2O3 ultrafiltration (UF) inorganic membrane was synthesized based on pyrrhotite ash solid waste resulting from mining activities and natural clay via spreading a metal–organic complex sheet on a microfiltration (MF) ceramic support. The MF-support was prepared by mixing pyrrhotite ash with natural clay. The pyrrhotite ash was also deployed in the preparation of the metal–organic complex. The membrane composition, structure, morphology were studied via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy respectively, and operating parameters such as water permeability, and flexural strength were also investigated. The MF support showed a water permeability of 2.37 × 10−6 m3/s. m2. kPa while the UF membrane exhibited a permeability of 2.49 × 10−7 m3/s. m2. kPa. Furthermore, the elaborated MF support and UF membrane were tested in the treatment of two types of textile wastewaters of reactive and dispersed nature. The results showed that the combination of the MF support and UF membrane in cascade filtration led to an elimination rate of 99% and 94% of turbidity and chemical oxygen demand, respectively, in the case of the two chosen wastewaters.