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Nanofíltration/Reverse osmosis in the separation of drugs from effluents

Abstract:

Membrane separation processes can be an effective barrier against pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds present in water sources. This investigation presents the results of the separation of ciprofloxacin (CIPRO) and sulfamethoxazole (SULFA) in aqueous solution with nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis membranes (OI) at a concentration in the feed of 5 mg/L and the influence of pH on separation mechanisms. With RO membranes, rejection was 100% for CIPRO and greater than 98% for SULFA at the studied pH. For the NF, the pH had influences on the separation of the SULFA, obtaining in the rejection 73.7% at pH 5 and at pH 7 and 9 greater than 94%. In the case of CIPRO, rejection percentages greater than 91% were obtained. The rejection obtained with the solution of the mixture of the two drugs shows no change since the percentages of rejections are very close to the results obtained in the study of the drugs separately. The transmembrane pressure did not influence the rejection of the drugs.