Removal of disinfection byproducts from water by carbonized electrospun nanofibrous membranes

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs), trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids present in water are well known carcinogens and their removal is an important priority. Highly porous nanofibrous membrane filters produced by electro-spinning were carbonized and used for the removal of DBPs from water. In the present investigation, chloroform and monochloroacetic acid (MCAA) was used as model DBPs compounds. The DBPs concentration in the range of 1–100 mg/L was used in well controlled adsorption experiments using the prepared membranes. For chloroform an adsorption capacity of 554 mg/g of carbonized nanofibrous membranes (CNMs) was determined based on the filtration of feed solution (100 mg/L). The adsorption capacity of MCAA was between 287 and 504 mg/g for a feed concentration of 4–18 mg/L based on the static adsorption study. The used membranes were regenerated by chemical/physical treatment and removal efficiencies of the regenerated membranes were determined. The DBPs removal from water was also investigated using multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) incorporated in the CNMs and results were compared. Although the initial removal of MCAA was increased with increasing concentration of the MWCNTs, afterwards, the subsequent removals showed no effect of addition of MWCNTs. The possible mechanism was also discussed to better understand the adsorption phenomenon. These results suggest that the CNMs could be used as DBPs removal filter for drinking water purpose.

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