MICROFILTRATION PROCESS FOR THE REMOVAL OF HEAVY METALS FROM WASTEWATER

Abstract

For the laboratory investigation of heavy metal ion (Pb, Zn, and Cd) removal from aqueous solutions using complexation microfiltration, a Millipore 8050 cell was used. The membrane employed was a polyacrylic membrane, consisting of an acrylic copolymer film applied to a nylon support. Supporting equipment included a "Tehnica" MM–510 magnetic stirrer, a 50 cm³ measuring cylinder, and a stopwatch. The efficiency of the process was monitored through permeate flux, based on variations in pH, pressure, initial metal ion concentration, and complexing agent concentration. Characterization equipment included an "Iskra" MA5725 pH meter for pH determination, and a "Pye Unicam SP9" atomic absorption spectrophotometer for measuring metal concentrations. AAS measurements of Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Cd²⁺ in the permeate were performed at 213.9 nm for Zn, 217 nm for Pb, and 228.8 nm for Cd. Calibration was carried out using standard solutions in the ranges of 0.1–1.0 mg/dm³ and 1.0–10.0 mg/dm³. Based on the conducted experiments, it was concluded that the metal ion–complexing agent–membrane system operates through a series of complex interactions. Due to this complexity, conventional models often fall short in accurately predicting system behavior. This opens up the possibility for the application of artificial neural networks (ANNs), which can process numerous input parameters and identify patterns difficult to detect using traditional approaches. The obtained results may serve as a reliable basis for training such models, particularly for predicting flux and optimizing wastewater treatment processes under real-world conditions.