Geotextile Membranes: A Sustainable Solution for Wastewater Treatment
摘要
As globalization accelerates, the availability of clean water is becoming increasingly scarce, necessitating the development of advanced filtration membranes that offer high flux, high permeability, reduced energy consumption, and superior selectivity and stability. Filtration membrane-based wastewater purification relies on porous, permeable membranes to remove suspended solids, including particles, macromolecules, and microorganisms, from water. Geotextiles—manufactured fabrics made from polymers like polyester, polypropylene, or nylon— act as physical barriers, filtering solids and contaminants from wastewater. In a study, domestic wastewater was pre-treated with chemical coagulants, specifically alum and ferric chloride (FeCl3). Ferric chloride proved more effective, with an optimal dosage of 1 mg/L for 1000 ml. After a 24-h settling period to allow sludge to settle, the supernatant was filtered using four non-woven geotextiles (150 GSM, 200 GSM, 300 GSM, and 500 GSM) with varying properties. Different combinations of these geotextiles were used in column studies to evaluate filtration efficiency. The results showed that geotextiles achieved total suspended solids removal efficiencies of 70–90% and COD removal efficiencies of 50–70%. The most effective arrangement, with geotextiles placed in the upper, middle, and bottom layers sandwiched between sand and granular activated carbon, achieved COD and TDS removal efficiencies of 96.87 and 95.17%, respectively. Among the geotextiles, the 500GSM non-woven fabric yielded the best results, offering superior strength, flexibility, durability, and controlled degradation compared to traditional sand filters.