Effect of Salt on the Stability of PIM Membranes Containing Poly-BADGE Carrier for Phenol Transport

Phenols, which are toxic and have a significant environmental impact, require effective removal methods from various waste sources. One potential solution is the use of polymeric inclusion membrane (PIM) based on Poli-BADGE which is designed to have high stability and resistance to operating conditions. The main problems in membrane development are the decline in stability and transport effectiveness due to damage to the membrane structure, leakage of carrier, and limited membrane lifetime. This study examines the stability and ability of PIM membranes in transporting phenols using 1:1 poly-BADGE as a carrier. This study aims to evaluate the stability of the membrane as well as the ability to transport phenols by varying a number of parameters, such as the type and concentration of salts in the source phase and the receiving phase, as well as the service lifetime of the membrane. The results showed that the optimal stability of the PIM membrane was achieved by the addition of NaCl as a salt in the source phase resulting in phenol transport of 54.53%, better than other salts. The addition of NaCl 0.01 M in both phases was able to transport phenols by 51.17% and 52.97%, respectively. The addition of KNO3 salts in the source phase was proven to extend the lifetime of the membrane by up to 67 days, compared to only 47 days without salt. This research provides an effective solution to improve the efficiency and durability of PIM membranes in overcoming phenol pollution problems, while extending the service lifetime of the membrane through optimizing operational parameters.