Autor(es): Zadra Filho, Paulo Cesar
Data: 2024
Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/30872
Origem: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
Assunto(s): Catalytic nanocomposite membranes; Carbon nanotubes; Plastic waste; Upcycling; Catalytic oxidation with hydrogen peroxide; Sulfamethoxazole
Global challenges of water contamination and plastic waste management demand innovative solutions to address emerging contaminants (CECs) and promote sustainable practices. This dissertation investigates the development and testing of catalytic nanocomposite membranes (CNMs), synthesized from polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with the potential to be derived from plastic solid waste (PSW). These CNMs were evaluated for their potential to degrade sulfamethoxazole (SMX), an antibiotic found in water sources worldwide, through catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) in a continuous filtration system. Among AOPs, CWPO has demonstrated potential for the efficient decomposition of organic pollutants. CNTs, synthesized via catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) using iron oxide supported on alumina as a metal substrate, were incorporated into polymeric membranes to provide them with degradation capabilities. Experimental analysis included the synthesis of CNMs via phase inversion. Characterization was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), textural properties, overall membrane porosity, largest pore size, hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity, morphology, and thermal decomposition. The membranes were tested in CWPO-enhanced filtration systems to evaluate their SMX degradation potential. The results demonstrated that CNMs with incorporated CNTs significantly improved SMX removal, achieving up to 90% efficiency under continuous flow conditions, with a pollutant degradation mass of up to 2551 mg m-2 h-1. The CNMs exhibited enhanced hydrogen peroxide decomposition (over 80%) and uniform CNT distribution, as verified by SEM analysis, with no significant iron leaching during the CWPO-enhanced filtration processes. These findings suggest that CNT-based membranes can serve as efficient catalysts in wastewater treatment, facilitating both filtration and oxidative degradation of CECs.In conclusion, this research advances the field of water purification by demonstrating the effectiveness of CNMs in CWPO applications. It reinforces the role of plastic waste recovery in the development of functional nanocomposite membranes, supporting the upcycling of PSWs, contributing to the circular economy, and promoting environmental sustainability and water decontamination.
