Incorporation of Silver-Doped Graphene Oxide Quantum Dots in Polyvinylidene Fluoride Membrane for Verapamil Removal

Wan Yee Tay, Law Yong Ng (), Ching Yin Ng, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Ying Pei Lim and Lan Ching Sim
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Wan Yee Tay: Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Law Yong Ng: Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Ching Yin Ng: Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
Ebrahim Mahmoudi: Center for Sustainable Process Technology (CESPRO), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Ying Pei Lim: School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia
Lan Ching Sim: Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang 43000, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: Verapamil hydrochloride, a calcium channel-blocking agent, is detectable in receiving water bodies and affects the well-being of aquatic organisms. Membrane filtration could be effective in removing such pharmaceutical contaminants. However, limited studies have employed commercial membranes, such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), in removing verapamil from water sources, owing to their low solution fluxes, poor antibacterial properties, and high surface hydrophobicity. Efforts are needed to create the PVDF membrane suitable for removing verapamil from water sources. In this study, PVDF composite membranes incorporated with from 0 to 0.10 wt% silver-doped graphene oxide quantum dots (Ag−GOQD) were evaluated in terms of their morphological structures, elemental composition, surface roughness, hydrophilicity, verapamil rejection capability, anti-fouling, and antibacterial capabilities. The pure PVDF membrane showed the lowest verapamil rejection (73.66 ± 2.45%), highest surface roughness (mean surface roughness, Sa = 123.80 nm), and least hydrophilic membrane surface (contact angle = 79.06 ± 4.53°) when compared to other membranes incorporated with nanocomposites. However, the membrane incorporated with 0.10 wt% Ag−GOQD showed the smoothest and the most hydrophilic membrane surface (Sa = 13.10 nm and contact angle = 53.60 ± 4.75°, respectively), associated with the highest verapamil rejection (96.04 ± 1.82%). A clear inhibition zone was spotted in the agar plate containing the membrane incorporated with Ag−GOQD, showing the antibacterial capability of the membrane. The overall improvement in morphological structures, surface smoothness, surface hydrophilicities, permeabilities, verapamil rejection abilities, and anti-fouling and antibacterial capabilities indicated a great potential to incorporate Ag−GOQD in PVDF membrane fabrication.

Keywords: silver; quantum dots; membrane; verapamil; rejection (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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