GO (OH) Nanocomposite Enhanced PVC-Based Polymer Inclusion Membrane: An Investigation of Its Selectivity Efficiency and Chemical Stability

Abstract

The carbon-based nano-additive, such as graphene oxide (GO(OH), is an effective additive to enhance Polymer inclusion membrane's (PIM) chemical stability and efficiency for remediating trace amounts of aromatic aqueous pharmaceutical contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs). PVC-PIM embedded with a minimum amount of Aliquat -336 carrier (33.3 %) and doped with varied concentrations of GO (OH) (0 - 2 %) were fabricated and characterized by Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform–infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), chemical stability, and hydrophilicity measurements. The study established that the GO(OH)-doped PIM resulted in more flexible self-plasticized PIMs and improved physiochemical properties. Furthermore, the transportation of 10 mg/l Tetracycline and Ibuprofen drugs using the optimum G3 doped (2 % GO (OH)) was significantly enhanced. A removal efficiency of ~ 96 and ~ 89 % was obtained, while a transportation efficiency of 66 and 79 % was obtained for the Tetracycline and Ibuprofen drugs. However, complete transportation of both drugs across the PIM could not be achieved, perhaps due to its limited stability compromising the performance efficiency.