Antibacterial PVC/TPU/UiO-66 nanocomposite membranes for pharmaceutical effluent treatment in membrane bioreactors: preparation, characterization, and performance evaluation.

Authors

Sepideh Masoumi, Yoones Jafarzadeh, Hossein Hazrati

Published in

Environmental science and pollution research international. Jul 06, 2026. Epub Jul 06, 2026.

Abstract

Pharmaceutical effluents contain bioactive contaminants that challenge conventional treatment methods and underline the necessity of fabricating high-performance, antifouling, and antibacterial membranes. To provide a solution, a nanocomposite ultrafiltration membrane based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and UiO-66 metal-organic framework (MOF) was developed to be applied in MBR. The UiO-66 nanoparticles were synthesized via a solvothermal method and thoroughly characterized using FESEM, XRD, FTIR, BET, zeta potential, and DLS analysis. An optimal 6 wt.% TPU concentration was identified and incorporated into PVC to improve membrane flexibility and hydrophilicity, followed by embedding varying loadings of UiO-66 (0.25-1 wt.%) into the PVC/TPU matrix by employing a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) approach to add antibacterial property. Structural characterizations revealed that UiO-66 enhanced porosity, hydrophilicity, morphological uniformity, mechanical strength, and surface smoothness. The membranes exhibited superior antibacterial activity, increased water permeability, and significant resistance to organic and biofouling, due to the synergetic effect of TPU and UiO-66. The optimal membrane (PVC/TPU/UiO-66 0.75 wt.%) exhibited a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 99.17%. Antibacterial tests showed a reduction of 45.43% in E. coli and 27.36% in S. aureus colony formation compared to the pure membrane. The total fouling ratio (TFR) and the irreversible fouling ratio (IFR) decreased to 44.91% and 36.82%, and the flux recovery ratio (FRR) improved to 61.75%, confirming significantly enhanced antifouling performance. These results highlight the synergistic benefits of copolymer blending and MOF incorporation, and offer a promising strategy for fabricating high-performance membranes for sustainable wastewater treatment.

PMID:
42402521
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 06 Jul 2026.

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