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. 2021 Apr 1;11(4):256.
doi: 10.3390/membranes11040256.

Removing of the Sulfur Compounds by Impregnated Polypropylene Fibers with Silver Nanoparticles-Cellulose Derivatives for Air Odor Correction

Aurelia Cristina Nechifor  1 , Simona Cotorcea  1 , Constantin Bungău  2 , Paul Constantin Albu  3 , Dumitru Pașcu  1 , Ovidiu Oprea  4 , Alexandra Raluca Grosu  1 , Andreia Pîrțac  1 , Gheorghe Nechifor  1
Affiliations

Removing of the Sulfur Compounds by Impregnated Polypropylene Fibers with Silver Nanoparticles-Cellulose Derivatives for Air Odor Correction

Aurelia Cristina Nechifor et al. Membranes (Basel). .

Abstract

The unpleasant odor that appears in the industrial and adjacent waste processing areas is a permanent concern for the protection of the environment and, especially, for the quality of life. Among the many variants for removing substance traces, which give an unpleasant smell to the air, membrane-based methods or techniques are viable options. Their advantages consist of installation simplicity and scaling possibility, selectivity; moreover, the flows of odorous substances are direct, automation is complete by accessible operating parameters (pH, temperature, ionic strength), and the operation costs are low. The paper presents the process of obtaining membranes from cellulosic derivatives containing silver nanoparticles, using accessible raw materials (namely motion picture films from abandoned archives). The technique used for membrane preparation was the immersion precipitation for phase inversion of cellulosic polymer solutions in methylene chloride: methanol, 2:1 volume. The membranes obtained were morphologically and structurally characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution SEM (HR SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), thermal analysis (TG, ATD). Then, the membrane performance process (extraction efficiency and species flux) was determined using hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and ethanethiol (C2H5SH) as target substances.

Keywords: air odor correction; cellulose; ethanethiol; hydrogen sulfide; membrane processes; membranes; polypropylene fibers; silver nanoparticles; sulfur compounds.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 18
Figure 18
Details of the thermal analysis (thermo-gravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DSC)) of (a) the support fibers; (b) the support fibers impregnated with cellulose acetate containing silver nanoparticles.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Perception of the population about the foul-smelling sources.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Multicomponent system bordered by a selective window: ions, small molecules, macromolecules, nanoparticles, micro-particles, microorganisms, and viruses, suspended particles.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The Bucharest metropolitan area and its foul-smelling gases’ pollution sources: (a) the metropolitan area; (b) the location of main municipal waste processing and recovery centers; (c) locations of water treatment plants; (d) agencies and associations involved in environmental issues.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The presentation of (a) the polypropylene support membrane (PPSM); and (b) Ag-cellulose acetate membranes on PPSM (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM); (c) Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) image of PPSM; and (d) SEM image of Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Operation scheme presentation with the pertraction module: SP—source phase; RS—receiving phase. (1) Hollow fiber pertraction module; (2) SP reservoirs; (3) RP reservoirs; (4) SP pump; (5) RP pump.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Morphology of movie film surfaces: (a) evenly distributed silver nanoparticles on film surface; (b) detail from (a); (c) micro-cracks and agglomerations of Ag nanoparticles; (d) detail and measurement; (e) Ag nanoparticles on film surface; (f) detail with measurable irregular micrometric lengths; (g) Ag nanoparticles on film surface; (h) measurements of micro-cracks and Ag agglomerations; (i) degraded film samples; (j) measurements of the details.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Morphology of movie film surfaces: (a) evenly distributed silver nanoparticles on film surface; (b) detail from (a); (c) micro-cracks and agglomerations of Ag nanoparticles; (d) detail and measurement; (e) Ag nanoparticles on film surface; (f) detail with measurable irregular micrometric lengths; (g) Ag nanoparticles on film surface; (h) measurements of micro-cracks and Ag agglomerations; (i) degraded film samples; (j) measurements of the details.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Morphology of movie film surfaces: (a) evenly distributed silver nanoparticles on film surface; (b) detail from (a); (c) micro-cracks and agglomerations of Ag nanoparticles; (d) detail and measurement; (e) Ag nanoparticles on film surface; (f) detail with measurable irregular micrometric lengths; (g) Ag nanoparticles on film surface; (h) measurements of micro-cracks and Ag agglomerations; (i) degraded film samples; (j) measurements of the details.
Figure 7
Figure 7
SEM morphology of the membranes: (a) membrane support (PPMS); (b) membrane support (PPMS) detail; (c) impregnated membrane (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM); (d) impregnated membrane (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM) detail; (e) processed impregnated membrane (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM); (f) processed impregnated membrane (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM) detail; (g) cross-section on Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM; (h) detail of the cross-section on Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM with the evidenced Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX) zone.
Figure 7
Figure 7
SEM morphology of the membranes: (a) membrane support (PPMS); (b) membrane support (PPMS) detail; (c) impregnated membrane (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM); (d) impregnated membrane (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM) detail; (e) processed impregnated membrane (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM); (f) processed impregnated membrane (Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM) detail; (g) cross-section on Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM; (h) detail of the cross-section on Ag-Cell-Ac-PPM with the evidenced Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX) zone.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EADX) of the membranes on: (a) impregnated membranes; (b) processed impregnated membranes; (c) cross-section impregnated membranes.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Thermal diagrams for: (a) cellulose acetate and Ag-cellulose acetate; (b) polypropylene fibers and impregnated polypropylene fibers.
Figure 10
Figure 10
The Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) spectrum of (a) cellulose acetate; (b) Ag-cellulose acetate; (c) polypropylene fiber; and (d) impregnated polypropylene fiber.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Variation of source phase concentration depending on the operating time at pHSP = 5 and pHRP = 12: (a) hydrogen sulfide and (b) ethanethiol.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Dependency of extraction efficiency on time for various compositions of impregnated membranes at pHSP = 5 and pHRP = 12: (a) hydrogen sulfide and (b) ethanethiol.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Dependency of the hydrogen sulfide flux variation on the electrolyte concentration (NaCl) in the source phase (at pHSP = 5 and pHRP = 12) for three recirculation rates (Q) of the source phase.
Figure 14
Figure 14
SEM images of the cross-section on polypropylene support fiber: (a) specific dimension; (b) a detail.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Assembly of polypropylene fibers: (a) encapsulation of the end of a beam; (b) linear beam interconnection support; (c) the beams in the linear support.
Figure 16
Figure 16
The permeation module (100 m2/m3).
Figure 17
Figure 17
Details of the thermal analysis of the samples of cellulose acetate (a) and cellulose acetate with silver nanoparticles (b).
Figure 17
Figure 17
Details of the thermal analysis of the samples of cellulose acetate (a) and cellulose acetate with silver nanoparticles (b).
Figure 19
Figure 19
Schematic presentation of the initial test for odor control with the permeation module (100 m2/m3).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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