Advanced microcrystalline nanocellulose-based nanofiltration membranes for the efficient treatment of wastewater contaminated with cationic dyes

This study focuses on the construction of polyvinyl chloride microcrystalline nanocellulose (PVC/NC@TALCM) nanocomposite membranes with titanium gamma aluminate (TGAL) for the adsorption and filtration of the cationic dye MB. The adsorption ability of the nanocomposite membrane was investigated by varying the dosage of the adsorbent, pH, and dye concentration. The PVC-MCNC@TGAL membrane, loaded with 5% titanium aluminate at pH 10, demonstrated a 98.6% removal efficiency for the MB dye using a dead-end filtration system. The adsorption kinetics study revealed that the adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, indicating a chemisorption process. The Freundlich isotherm model was found to be more suitable than the Langmuir model based on the R² value. Finally, the PVC-MCNC@TGAL nanocomposite membrane was found to be a cost-effective and eco-friendly adsorbent for the removal of MB from industrial wastewater. Additionally, the self-cleaning property of the membrane contributes to sustainability by reducing the usage of chemicals.