Employing Imino-Bis-Propane Diol Functional Polymers for Boron Removal from Geothermal Waters via Polymer Enhanced Ultrafiltration

Abstract

In this study, polymer enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF) was used to remove boron from a geothermal water sample. The effect of co-ions such as chloride and sulfate on boron removal was investigated using previously synthesized poly (vinyl amino-N, N’-bis-propane diol) (GPVA) and its copolymers with DADMAC. The presence of co-anions and use of real waste water did not significantly reduce boron retentions and permeate fluxes. At optimum operating conditions 98% boron removal was achieved. It was demonstrated that 97% of complexation capacity of polymer can be recovered and reused by two-cycle decomplexation at pH 4.

Keywords:

• polymer enhanced ultrafiltration
• boron removal
• geothermal water
• functional polymer

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge Prof. Dr. Nalan Kabay and Özgür Arar for guidance in sample collection from Balcova Geothermal Water, Prof. Dr. Yavuz Ataman for ICP-OES, and Prof. Dr. A. Tülay Özbelge for HPLC and TOC measurements. The authors also acknowledge with much appreciation Matt Wehrman for the meticulous editing of this paper.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are thankful for the financial support by METU project code BAP-2006-03-04-04 and BAP-2008-03-04-04.