Biopolymer-based nanosystem for ferric ion removal from water

The removal of ferric ions from aqueous solutions by a nanoparticle-enhanced ultrafiltration techniquewas investigated. Biodegradable poly-gamma-glutamic acid (c-PGA), a linear biopolymer, and itscross-linked nanoparticles were used to complex the metal ions by forming nanosized spherical particleswith more or less deformability. These polymer?metal ion particles were then removed by membraneseparation. Two ultrafiltration techniques were studied with the aim of developing a nanoparticleenhancedseparation process for the efficient removal of ferric ions from model solutions. The influenceof parameters such as the feed c-PGA and Fe3+ concentrations, their proportions and the extent of crosslinkingof c-PGA were studied. It was observed that c-PGA could bind and remove ferric ions to producewater with low Fe3+ concentration. These studies show that optimal nano-membrane separation technologycan be performed, depending on the environment and quality of treatable water by the combinationof the filtration parameters and type of membrane techniques shown here