Surface functionalization of polymer membrane in enhancing biocatalytic removal of water micropollutants / Nur Ummi Anisa Muhammad Rasidi

Membrane technology plays a crucial role in removing micropollutants such as methylene blue (MB) and Bisphenol-A (BPA). However, secondary waste will be generated as the polymer membrane could not degrade MB and BPA. It can only be degraded to its non-phenolic compound with the help of an enzyme. A polymer membrane needs to be slightly hydrophilic to guarantee the stability of an enzyme. Polymer membranes are well known as hydrophobic membranes, demonstrating high trans-membrane pressure and fouling, limiting their applicability. Thus, polymer membranes demand additional efforts to improve their performance. Metal-chelated biocatalytic membranes (MCBM) were synthesized in this study using a commercial polymer membrane, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and procedural coatings to overcome these issues. Chemicals that have hydrophilic characteristics, such as dopamine (DA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), were used. DA also helps in providing more absorption sites for metal ion chelation.