Fabrication and performance evaluation of tannin iron complex (TA-FeIII/PES) UF membrane in treatment of BTEX wastewater

Oil exploration generates produced water that is characterized as hazardous and toxic waste. Produced contains a mixture of various pollutants, including monoaromatic hydrocarbons BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene), compounds are carcinogenic even in small concentrations. In this study, tannin iron complex (TA-FeIII), blended into polyethersulfone (PES) membrane was evaluated for the treatment BTEX-containing wastewater. The membranes were fabricated using non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method loading TA-FeIII on varied from 0–0.9 wt%. techniques such scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle (WCA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force (AFM) to check surface morphology, hydrophilicity, functionality roughness membranes, respectively. modified showed increased pure flux 100 (PES 0) ∼150 0.9) L/(m2‧h) at kPa. performance tested 70 mg/L synthetic solution. Overall rejection > 70% achieved increasing loadings compared < 65% PES membrane. Rejection mainly through size exclusion mechanism. These TA-FeIII/PES UF proved be effective water, also have potential applied oily wastewater treatment.