Removal of malathion using ceramic nanofiltration/adsorption system

Abstract

Residual pesticides in industrial effluents of pesticide industry manifests a serious threat for sustainability of the biological wastewater treatment plants and also to nearby surface and ground water. This article is concerned with the separation of malathion using nanofiltration (NF), clay adsorption, and combination of both processes. Malathion removal using NF tubular ceramic membrane is ranged from 93.5 to 99.4% with malathion concentration range from 5.7 to 17.1 mg/l. Adsorption of malathion (0.4–2.9 mg/l) using Egyptian clays (kaolin and bentonites) reached about 0.65 mg/g. Sodium bentonite (Na–B) exhibited maximum adsorption capacity and removal as compared to kaolin (K) and calcium bentonite (Ca–B). The natural pH values of the different investigated clays in malathion solutions were 6.7, 7.3, and 9.5 for K, Ca–B, and Na–B, respectively. An integrated system of NF and clay adsorption permits effective control on the quality of NF permeates. Endeavors are currently underway to explore cost-effective treatment of NF concentrate.

Keywords:

• Pesticide
• Malathion removal
• Nanofiltration
• Clay adsorption
• Cost

Notes

Presented at the Conference on Membranes in Drinking and Industrial Water Production. Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, 10–12 September 2012. Organized by the European Desalination Society and Wetsus Centre for Sustainable Water Technology