A catalytic polymer membrane reactor to treat water contaminated with endocrine disrupting compounds with ozone continuously was fabricated and evaluated. The reactor consisted of a graphene oxide surface-modified polyvinyledene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membrane, serving as a water selective extractor, and an adsorbent catalyst-coated PVDF microfiltration membrane, acting as an ozone gas distributor and catalytic membrane contactor. The addition of catalysts helps to retain organic pollutants in the reaction zone, promotes ozone dissolution and transformation to reactive hydroxyl radicals, and accelerates the conversion and mineralization of organic compounds. The catalytic membrane contactor/distributor consistently displays a high rate of conversion of organic pollutant...[ Read more ]

A catalytic polymer membrane reactor to treat water contaminated with endocrine disrupting compounds with ozone continuously was fabricated and evaluated. The reactor consisted of a graphene oxide surface-modified polyvinyledene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membrane, serving as a water selective extractor, and an adsorbent catalyst-coated PVDF microfiltration membrane, acting as an ozone gas distributor and catalytic membrane contactor. The addition of catalysts helps to retain organic pollutants in the reaction zone, promotes ozone dissolution and transformation to reactive hydroxyl radicals, and accelerates the conversion and mineralization of organic compounds. The catalytic membrane contactor/distributor consistently displays a high rate of conversion of organic pollutants and reduction of total organic carbon (TOC) over the entire range of ozone dosage and reaction residence time studied. The coupling of ozonation and selective water removal by the membrane separator benefitted both processes. Selective removal water by the membrane separator has the desired effect of concentrating the organic pollutants, resulting in a higher conversion and mineralization rate, and greatly lowered toxicity of the treated water. The compact membrane reactor unit equipped with a catalytic membrane contactor/distributor and a membrane water separator converted 60% of DEET and reduced 30% of TOC, outperforming a semi-batch ozone reactor which converted 20% of DEET and reduced 5% of TOC. The compact membrane reactor unit achieved these conversion rates at a flux up to 120 L/(m²h). This work has achieved:

● The surface modification of a PVDF ultrafiltration membrane with graphene oxide as membrane separator to concentrate the pollutants in the reaction zone and lower the microtoxicity of treated water with high clean water production.

● The development of adsorbing catalysts for catalytic ozonation using metal oxide supported on powdered activated carbon.

● The development of adsorbing catalyst coated PVDF microfiltration membranes as a membrane distributor/contactor for ozone treatment of EDCs in water.