Facile Fabrication of a Free-Standing Magnesium Oxide-Graphene Oxide Functionalized Membrane: A Robust and Efficient Material for the Removal of Pollutants from Aqueous Matrices

Abstract

Environmental pollution significantly challenges human health, ecosystems, and the planet’s sustainability. Widespread air, water, and soil contamination from various pollutants requires effective and sustainable solutions to reduce or eliminate pollution and its impacts. In this work, we designed novel magnesium oxide and graphene oxide (MgO@GO) composite free-standing membranes for nanofiltration. The membranes were characterized with the help of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Further, free-standing MgO@GO composite membranes with different thicknesses were used to measure the water permeance. 410 nm-thick membranes showed high water permeance up to 480 ± 5 Lm⁻² h⁻¹bar⁻¹. Further, the rejection efficiency of the membrane was measured against NaCl, CaCl₂, Pb(NO₃)₂, CdCl₂, and amoxicillin. The MgO@GO membrane (410 ± 10 nm) showed 100% rejection for amoxicillin and 99% for Pb(NO₃)₂, respectively. Additionally, the membranes were stable under acidic and neutral conditions for approximately ∼80 days and may used on an industrial scale to ensure water is clean and free from harmful substances.

Keywords:

• Amoxicillin
• free-standing membrane
• heavy metal ions
• MgO@GO composite
• salts

Acknowledgment

The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan for providing all the necessary facilities to complete this work. Ayaz Ali Memon also acknowledges the grant from Higher Education Commission Islamabad Pakistan (Project No. 20-14470/NRPU/R&D/HEC/2021) for financial support of this work. The authors also extend their sincere appreciation to the Researchers Supporting Project Number (RSP2023R301), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.