Removal of Endosulfan pesticide using Nanofiltration membranes modified by SiO2/ZnO nanoparticles

Today, Nanofiltration technology has expanded rapidly due to low energy consumption, high rejection, and easy operation to separate various compounds. Also the presence of organic micro pollutants in water resources has become very disturbing[1]. Endosulfan pesticide with extensive application in agriculture is an organic micro pollutant which causes environmental contamination. Endosulfan in the various conditions can be highly toxic because of lipophilic properties and accumulation in body tissues with high biological resistance. The purpose of this study was to separate Endosulfan using nanofiltration membranes modified with ZnO/SiO2 nanoparticles[2,3].Exprimental: Nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method and were used to prepare nanofiltration membranes using casting, solvent evaporation and immersion in non-solvent. The flux and water content of the prepared membranes were evaluated. In the next step Endosulfan solutions were prepared in methanol and distilled water. For evaluation of membranes performance the flux and rejection of prepared membranes was examined.Results: Various factors can affect the properties and function of the membranes. One of these factors is the interaction of the sample with the surface of the membranes. The results showed that in the pure membrane, the flow decreased over time. This can be due to the clogging of the pores and the appearance of fouling on the membranes. By using of ZnO/SiO2 nanoparticles the hydrophilicity of the membranes was improved due to the hydrophilic properties of the nanoparticles with a high surface area. However due to the unique properties of these nanoparticles, the rejection and flux of the membranes were improved.