Modeling of parameters affecting the removal of chromium using polysulfone/graphene oxide membrane via response surface methodology

In this study, an efficient membrane composed of polysulfone and graphene oxide was developed and evaluated for its efficacy in chromium adsorption. Characterization of the synthesized membrane involved comprehensive analyses including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to assess its structural properties. Subsequently, the membrane’s performance in removing chromium from aqueous solutions was scrutinized, considering key operational parameters. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize parameters. Additionally, the pH parameter revealed the most significant (F-value = 184.25) on the amount of chromium removal by the membrane process. The interaction between pH and contact time is the most significant among all interactions, with an F-value of 40.99. Moreover, the high R² (97.58%) and adjusted R² (95.41%) indicate the model effectively explains variance with minimal overfitting, confirming its strong predictive capability. Under optimized conditions (pH 5, initial concentration of 30 mg/L, and contact time of 40 min), the polysulfone/graphene oxide membrane exhibited an impressive removal efficiency of 81.1%. This study highlights the potential of polysulfone/graphene oxide membranes in effectively separating chromium from aqueous mediums, thereby suggesting a promising avenue for future research in addressing heavy metal pollution.√