Enhanced arsenic (V) removal from water using aluminium oxide nanoparticle-incorporated Polyethersulfone hollow fiber membranes

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Membrane and Separation Technology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, India

2 Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, India

Abstract

The expansion of urbanization, industrialization, and population has led to water pollution due to severe contamination by toxic pollutants, increasing the demand for pure water. Arsenic poisoning of water is considered a highly hazardous chemical poisoning due to its harmful effects on the environment and human health. The present study combines nanotechnology and membrane technology to overcome water scarcity issues and the removal of arsenic from contaminated water. Polyethersulfone (PES) hollow fiber membranes, with and without nanoparticles (NPs), were fabricated through the dry-wet spinning process and used for ultrafiltration studies. Physicochemical characterization confirmed the successful synthesis of bare nanoparticles, and further, membranes were characterized and analyzed by various studies. The study demonstrated significant improvements in As (V) removal efficiency and water flux. The optimized membrane achieved a removal rate of 79.23% and the highest flux of 26.7 L/m²/h compared to the pristine membrane, which had a 65% removal rate and a flux of 18 L/m²/h, emphasizing potential for water purification applications.

Graphical Abstract

Enhanced arsenic (V) removal from water using aluminium oxide nanoparticle-incorporated Polyethersulfone hollow fiber membranes

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Advances in Environmental Technology
Volume 12, Issue 2
April 2026
Pages 220-231

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History

  • Receive Date: 02 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 21 April 2026
  • Accept Date: 21 April 2026

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