Dr. Linda Zou Finds New Solutions to Clean Up the Wastewater听听
Discover innovations in wastewater treatment鈥攍isten now!
Researchers at Khalifa University have found the membranes with specially-engineered nanomaterial additives are effective in removing a range of contaminants in industrial wastewater due to their synergistic adsorptive-catalytic as well as separation properties.听听
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The research team led by Dr. Linda Zou, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering have synthesized three morphologies of the material molybdenum disulfide (MOS2) 鈥� nanospheres, nanoplatelets, and nanosheets 鈥� as potential for water treatment applications. When incorporated with the biopolymer chitosan membranes, these nanomaterials contributed to the better removal of heavy metal contaminants, reduced fouling, higher water flow, while making the membrane structure more stable.听
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The study, which 星空传媒 the importance of carefully choosing the right nanoparticle shape when fabricating the polymer membranes was in the article titled 鈥楨ffect of different MoS2 morphologies on the formation and performance of adsorptive-catalytic nanocomposite membranes鈥�, in Nature NPJ Clean Water. Dr. Zou is the lead corresponding author, and the co-authors include Delal E. Al Momani, and Fathima Arshad from the Department of Civil Infrastructure and Environment Engineering and Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D), along with Inas Taha and Dalaver H. Anjum from the Department of Physics.听
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The MoS2 particles also had a catalytic effect, creating reactive chemical species that further helped break down and remove contaminants including dyes, organic molecules, and pathogens in wastewater, emerging as efficient membrane technology for hazardous substances.听听
“Research at Khalifa University has opened up new possibilities for incorporating specifically designed 2D nanomaterials into polymer membranes to enhance water treatment capabilities.”
鈥� Dr. Linda Zou, Professor at Department of Civil Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering, KU
Part of a family of two-dimensional materials, MoS2 is a promising nanomaterial for water treatment applications for its ability to accelerate the catalysis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to help break down organic pollutants in water. MoS2 can also capture and remove heavy metal contaminants and can be easily integrated into composite materials, which improves the efficiency of wastewater treatment even further. Wastewater resulting from industries such as textile/leather, petroleum/refineries, paint, pesticides, and metal smelting commonly presents with a complex composition of organic contaminants and heavy metals, both requiring removal during the treatment process.听
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Dr. Linda Zou said: 鈥淩esearch at Khalifa University has opened up new possibilities for incorporating specifically designed 2D nanomaterials into polymer membranes to enhance water treatment capabilities. Such advances in nanotechnology which enable the precise control of nanomaterial size, structure, and properties and nanomaterial-enhanced adsorptive-catalytic membranes, like those using graphene oxide (GO) or MoS2, have demonstrated impressive abilities to remove heavy metal contaminants from water.鈥�
Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist
3 Sep 2024
