Microplastics and dye removal from textile wastewater using MIL-53 (Fe) metal-organic framework-based ultrafiltration membranes

Microplastics (MPs) and other organic matters in textile wastewater have posed a formidable challenge for treatment processes, particularly in the primary stages such as ultrafiltration (UF). UF plays a crucial role in preventing the entry of pollutants into subsequent treatment steps. However, the performance efficiency of UF membranes is compromised by the potential fouling of membrane pores by MPs, dyes and other organic pollutants such as bovine serum albumin (BSA). This study focuses on enhancing UF membrane performance, specifically its antifouling properties, through the development of high-performance membranes using MIL-53(Fe) metal-organic framework (MOF) particles (noted as MIL-53 here). Various concentrations of the MIL-53 (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 wt%) were integrated into the membrane structure through phase inversion process. Streaming zeta potential results confirmed the negatively charged surface of the membranes and their high hydrophilicity was validated through contact angle analysis. FTIR, SEM, EDS, and XRD confirmed the presence of MIL-53 particles on the surface of membranes. The developed membranes were tested for 24 h to assess their antifouling properties, with a subsequent 30-min hydraulic flush to measure their flux recovery ratios. Methylene Blue (MB) dye was used as a cationic dye present in textile wastewater to evaluate the efficiency of the developed membranes in dye removal and the synergistic effects of dye rejection in the presence of organic matters (i.e., MPs and BSA). Since previous studies have not fully addressed the combination of dyes and organic matter, this study thoroughly investigated the effect of particle-type foulants (MPs) and their interactions with dye (MB), as well as water soluble protein-type foulants (BSA) and their interaction with MB. The results indicated that the developed membranes exhibited higher MB rejection when the dye was present with either MP or BSA, along with improved antifouling properties. The optimised UF membrane integrated with 0.1 wt% MIL-53 demonstrated nearly 96% BSA rejection and around 86% MB rejection in the mixed foulant case (BSA-MB). The modified membrane exhibited a substantial increase in water flux from 176 L m⁻².h⁻¹ to 327 L m⁻².h⁻¹. The findings of this research show the potential of iron-based MOFs in improving the performance of UF membranes and provide a platform for future studies on significant areas such as long-term stability studies and testing with other pollutants found in textile wastewater.