Simultaneous removal of phenols and Cr3+ using micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration process

The removal of phenol, p-cresol, xylenol and Cr3+ ions in simultaneous micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration process was examined. A cationic (CTAB) and anionic surfactant are selected as molecules that are able to create micelles. The rejection coefficients for solutes and surfactants were determined experimentally. The ultrafiltration process was carried out using polysulphone membrane (20 kDa) in cross-flow and steady-state conditions. It was observed that rejection coefficients of solutes increased with the increase of feed CTAB and SDS concentration. The highest rejection coefficients for the most hydrophobic xylenol were noticed. The presence of Cr3+ ions in the system does not influence the rejection of phenols.