Evaluating the performance of chitosan and chitosan-palm membrane for water treatment: preparation, characterization and purification study

In this research, the membranes were stemmed from the biopolymer containing quaternary amine moieties (Chitosan and Chitosan-palm) for nanofiltration purposes. The developed mem- branes were fully featured using different characterization techniques (SEM), (TGA), zeta poten- tial, and contact angle measurement. The membrane’s features were systematically character- ized in hydrophilicity contact angle, surface morphology, and charge on the surface, acidity, and water permeability. The permeability of water for the chitosan membrane with palm was 3.04 ± 0.12 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 twice as the average permeability of the pristine chitosan mem- brane 1.68±0.04L m−2.h−1.bar−1. The salt rejection was enhanced (from 5% for NaCl to 70% for MgCl2 in the same condition). These membranes could endure up to 22 bar. Therefore, the developed Chitosan and chitosan-palm membranes are more noteworthy for water treatment than the other commercially available membranes and costly activated carbons.