Removal of heavy metals using reverse osmosis

Abstract EN

The aim of this work is to study reverse osmosis characteristics for copper sulfate hex hydrate (CuSO4.6H2O), nickel sulfate hex hydrate (NiSO4.6H2O) and zinc sulfate hex hydrate (ZnSO4.6H2O) removal from aqueous solution which discharge from some Iraqi factories such as AL Nasser Company for mechanical industries.

The mode of operation of reverse osmosis was permeate is removed and the concentrate of metals solution is recycled back to the feed vessel.

Spiral-wound membrane is thin film composite membrane (TFC) was used to conduct this study on reverse osmosis.

The variables studied are metals concentrations (50–150 ppm) and time (15–90 min).

It was found that increasing the time results in an increase in concentration of metal in permeate ; feed concentration in feed vessel and recovery percent.

While, it was found that water flux, rejection percent and mass transfer coefficient is decreasing with increasing operating time.

Also, it was found that the permeate concentration and feed concentration in feed vessel increases with increasing feed concentration, on the contrary, water flux, the percentage of recovery, rejection percent and mass transfer coefficient decreases with increasing the concentration of feed solution.

The maximum rejection of copper, nickel, and zinc salts are 96.6 %, 95.7 % and 98.2 % respectively.

The maximum recovery percentage of copper, nickel, and zinc salts are 40.8 %, 41.35 % and 38.44 % respectively.

The pure water permeability constant was calculated for TFC membrane.