Quantitative evaluation of the partition coefficients of solutes between polyamide active layers of RO membranes and water using quartz crystal microbalance

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K12617
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental engineering and reduction of environmental burden
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Tasuma 山口大学, 大学院創成科学研究科, 准教授 (00577489)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 逆浸透膜 / ポリアミド / 分配係数

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The final objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the partition coefficients of solutes between polyamide active layers of RO membranes and water using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). As the first step to achieve this final objective, we first measured the charge density in polyamide active layer of a commercial reverse osmosis membrane. Cs+ was chosen as a counter ion of deprotonated carboxy group (R-COO-), and the mass of Cs+ that associates with R-COO- was measured with a QCM. Experimental data showed that the charge density obtained in this study at the pH range between 4.0-9.0 was in good agreement with those obtained with an existing method using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Then, the method was applied to measure the partition coefficients of o-cresol and acetanilide between polyamide active layers of RO membranes and water. It was found that both physical and chemical properties of solutes control partitioning into polyamide active layers.

Free Research Field

環境工学