Polymer and Surfactant Supported Ultrafiltration

Polymer and Surfactant Supported Ultrafiltration is a technique that is equally effective for removing both inorganic and organic pollutants from water. A bio-polymer namely Sericin is extracted from silk and it is water soluble. Moreover, It has ability to show chelation with metal ions in water. Likewise, surfactant forms micelles in water which encapsulate organic dyes. In this way, the size of pollutants increases due to either chelating effect of Sericin or micelles formed by the selected surfactant in water. Once the size of metal ions or organic dye has increased, they are subjected to pass through a porous barrier such as membrane in an ultrafiltration cell/plant. These pollutants with enhanced size get stuck on the surface of membrane whereas pollutant free water stream is collected on other side of membrane as a permeat soluion. Recycling of permeat solution finally gives pure water.