Application of magnetic γ-Fe2O3 to reduce membrane fouling

In this study, maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) with mesoporous sized powder (∼500 nm), BET surface area 38.79 m2/g, pore volume 0.14 cm3/g and pore size 25.02 nm was prepared by simple hydrothermal method in order to reduce protein-induced fouling. Maghemite attained maximum adsorption of 30.01 mg/g for bovine serum albumin (BSA). The small surface area of maghemite and electrostatic repulsion between maghemite and BSA molecules probably limited the adsorption capacity. It was found that the application of maghemite to a laboratory-scale reactor mitigated the fouling of commercial poly(vinylidene fluoride) PVDF membrane by protein. The efficiency of the maghemite particles was reliant on liquid shear intensity from mechanical mixing: at low stirring rates maghemite increased membrane output and permeability, contrary to the results of higher stirring rates. The optimum mitigation effect was found at stirring rate 50 rpm. In favorable condition, maghemite improved the performance of the membrane filtering proving its effectiveness as foulant reducer.