Performance Evaluation of Poly Ether Sulfone Nanocomposite Membranes in the Separation of Evans Blue Dye

Abstract

The water pollution, caused by the textile sector, poses significant environmental and health challenges due to the discharge of untreated dye-laden effluents into natural water bodies. Conventional dye removal methods are often cost-prohibitive and energy-intensive. Membrane filtration has more advantages, such as scalability, but exhibits fouling. This research study focuses on enhancing the performance of PES membrane in dye removal by incorporating nanomaterials such as titanium dioxide (TiO₂), activated carbon (AC), and Moringa seed extract in comparison with a commercial membrane. These modified membranes were evaluated for physical properties such as water uptake, porosity, and mean pore radius. The characterization techniques like Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the successful integration of nanomaterials and improvements in membrane morphology. The performance evaluation of these fabricated membranes in removal of Evans blue dye was done using a dead-end filtration system. It was observed that the Color Removal Efficiency (CRE) of PES/TiO₂ and PES/AC membranes were 97.9% and 92% respectively with steady flux and strong anti-fouling properties. The Moringa-based membrane exhibited a remarkable 98.2% dye rejection rate, though with reduced flux due to fouling. From the above results, it is concluded nanocomposite membranes enhance the dye removal efficiency, offering scalable solutions for industrial wastewater treatment.