Manganese ferrite nanoparticles could lead to a substantial surge in the availability of drinking water globally when used to modify the filtering sheets currently used in water treatment plants, according to scientists.
"Our study records some extraordinary results. The top-performing membrane, containing 2 wt.% composite material, achieved a water flux of 351.4 LMH, which is 2.6-fold higher than the pristine PES membranes," said study co-author Dr. Ismail Almanassra, a research associate at the University of Sharjah's Institute for Science and Engineering.
PES or polyethersulfone membranes are vital for water treatment plants since they function as barriers allowing potable water to pass and preventing unwanted substances getting through them. They filter salts, impurities, and other unwanted particles from water.
"The significance of this project lies in its potential to revolutionize water treatment processes, offering technological, economic, environmental, and health benefits on a broad scale," added Dr. Almanassra.
The study, published in the Journal of Membrane Science, shows the scientists to have developed "UF membranes with superior water flux and rejection rates" and with the ability to address key inefficiencies in current water treatment methods.
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