Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of fuller's earth clay ceramic membrane in treating raw rubber-processing wastewater

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Rubber Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ceramic membranes are considered more effective for wastewater treatment applications than polymeric membranes because of their excellent resistance to thermal and chemical environments and possess high durability. To avoid the high cost of commercial ceramic membranes, recently, a significant improvement has been accomplished in developing them using low-cost alternative materials and their application in wastewater treatment. This study investigated the performance of an innovative ceramic microfiltration (MF) membrane fabricated with inexpensive Fuller's earth clay in treating the natural raw rubber (ribbed smoked sheet)-processing wastewater. The flat sheet low-cost membrane used in this study was prepared by uniaxial dry pressing route, followed by sintering at 850 °C, and it possessed 39% porosity with 0.176 µm pore size. The wastewater was treated in dead-end filtration mode at different pressures varying from 0.35 to 2 bar and observed the percentage removal of COD, turbidity, and total suspended solids (TSS). Untreated wastewater had a turbidity of 150 NTU, 1200 mg/L TSS, and 10,800 mg/L COD. At a low operating pressure of 0.35 bar, 94% removal of turbidity and total suspended solids was obtained. Also, significant COD removal of 70.4% from wastewater was obtained using the prepared low-cost MF membrane. Finally, the fouling phenomenon during the wastewater treatment was analyzed and it was concluded that it followed the cake filtration model. For future work, cross-flow filtration of wastewater using fabricated Fuller's earth clay ceramic membrane is recommended as it could pave the way forward towards commercialization and wide-scale industrial applications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Code availability

Not applicable.

References

  1. Hurley PE (1981) History of natural rubber. J Macromol Sci Part A Chem 15(7):1279–1287. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222338108056785

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Payungwong N, Tuampoemsab S, Rojruthai P, Sakdapipanich J (2021) The role of model fatty acid and protein on thermal aging and ozone resistance of peroxide vulcanized natural rubber. J Rubber Res 24(4):543–553. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42464-021-00100-z

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Tanikawa D, Kataoka T, Sonaka H, Hirakata Y, Hatamoto M, Yamaguchi T (2020) Evaluation of key factors for residual rubber coagulation in natural rubber processing wastewater. J Water Process Eng 33:101041. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2019.101041

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Boonmahitthisud A, Boonkerd K (2021) Sustainable development of natural rubber and its environmentally friendly composites. Curr Opin Green Sustain Chem 28:100446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2021.100446

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. “News-secretariat-details @ https://www.anrpc.org” [online]. http://www.anrpc.org/html/news-secretariat-details.aspx?ID=9&PID=39&NID=9202

  6. “Natural-rubber-net-production @ https://www.nationmaster.com” [online]. https://www.nationmaster.com/nmx/ranking/natural-rubber-net-production

  7. D. Tanikawa et al (2016) Treatment of natural rubber processing wastewater using a combination system of a two-stage up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket and down-flow hanging sponge system, pp 1777–1784. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2016.019

  8. Tanikawa D et al (2016) Greenhouse gas emissions from open-type anaerobic wastewater treatment system in natural rubber processing factory. J Clean Prod 119:32–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.02.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. “Membrane-technology-separation-science-mihir-purkait-randeep-singh @ https://www.taylorfrancis.com” [online]. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.1201/9781315229263/membrane-technology-separation-science-mihir-purkait-randeep-singh

  10. Zheng X et al (2015) Overview of membrane technology applications for industrial wastewater treatment in China to increase water supply. Resour Conserv Recycl 105:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.09.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Asif MB, Zhang Z (2021) Ceramic membrane technology for water and wastewater treatment: a critical review of performance, full-scale applications, membrane fouling and prospects. Chem Eng J 418:129481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2021.129481

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lalia BS, Kochkodan V, Hashaikeh R, Hilal N (2013) A review on membrane fabrication: structure, properties and performance relationship. Desalination 326:77–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2013.06.016

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Amin SK, Abdallah HAM, Roushdy MH, El-Sherbiny SA (2016) An overview of production and development of ceramic membranes. Int J Appl Eng Res 11(12):7708–7721

    Google Scholar 

  14. Beqqour D et al (2019) Enhancement of microfiltration performances of pozzolan membrane by incorporation of micronized phosphate and its application for industrial wastewater treatment. J Environ Chem Eng 7(2):102981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2019.102981

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bouazizi A et al (2016) Elaboration and characterization of a new flat ceramic MF membrane made from natural Moroccan bentonite. Application to treatment of industrial wastewater. Appl Clay Sci 132–133:33–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2016.05.009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Wang F et al (2021) Superhydrophobic β-Sialon-mullite ceramic membranes with high performance in water treatment. Ceram Int 47(6):8375–8381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.11.200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Salar-García MJ, Ieropoulos I (2020) Optimisation of the internal structure of ceramic membranes for electricity production in urine-fed microbial fuel cells. J Power Sources 451:227741. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.227741

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Kang L, Zhao L, Yao S, Duan C (2019) A new architecture of super-hydrophilic β-SiAlON/graphene oxide ceramic membrane for enhanced anti-fouling and separation of water/oil emulsion. Ceram Int 45(13):16717–16721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2019.05.195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Díaz-Reinoso B (2020) Concentration and purification of seaweed extracts using membrane technologies. Elsevier Inc., Amsterdam. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-817943-7.00014-7

    Book  Google Scholar 

  20. Liang D, Huang J, Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Chen H, Zhang H (2021) Influence of dextrin content and sintering temperature on the properties of coal fly ash-based tubular ceramic membrane for flue gas moisture recovery. J Eur Ceram Soc 41(11):5696–5710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2021.04.055

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Nandi BK, Uppaluri R, Purkait MK (2008) Preparation and characterization of low cost ceramic membranes for micro-filtration applications. Appl Clay Sci 42(1–2):102–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2007.12.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Vinoth Kumar R, Monash P, Pugazhenthi G (2016) Treatment of oil-in-water emulsion using tubular ceramic membrane acquired from locally available low-cost inorganic precursors. Desalin Water Treat 57(58):28056–28070. https://doi.org/10.1080/19443994.2016.1179221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Satyannarayana KVV, Sandhya Rani SL, Baranidharan S, Kumar RV (2022) Indigenous bentonite based tubular ceramic microfiltration membrane: elaboration, characterization, and evaluation of environmental impacts using life cycle techniques. Ceram Int. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2022.03.156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Sandhya Rani SL, Kumar RV (2021) Insights on applications of low-cost ceramic membranes in wastewater treatment: a mini-review. Case Stud Chem Environ Eng 4:100149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2021.100149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kumar RV, Goswami L, Pakshirajan K, Pugazhenthi G (2016) Dairy wastewater treatment using a novel low cost tubular ceramic membrane and membrane fouling mechanism using pore blocking models. J Water Process Eng 13:168–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2016.08.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Mouiya M et al (2018) Flat ceramic microfiltration membrane based on natural clay and Moroccan phosphate for desalination and industrial wastewater treatment. Desalination 427:42–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2017.11.005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Manni A et al (2020) New low-cost ceramic microfiltration membrane made from natural magnesite for industrial wastewater treatment. J Environ Chem Eng 8(4):103906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2020.103906

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Rani SLS, Kumar RV (2022) Fabrication and characterization of ceramic membranes derived from inexpensive raw material fuller’s earth clay. Mater Sci Eng B 284:115877. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mseb.2022.115877

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Yadav R, Sharma AK, Babu JN (2016) Sorptive removal of arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] by fuller’s earth immobilized nanoscale zero-valent iron nanoparticles (F-nZVI): effect of Fe0 loading on adsorption activity. J Environ Chem Eng 4(1):681–694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2015.12.019

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Das N, Maiti HS (1999) Effect of size distribution of the starting powder on the pore size and its distribution of tape cast alumina microporous membranes. J Eur Ceram Soc 19(3):341–345. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0955-2219(98)00205-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Singh M, Munuganan S, Raju G (2018) Preparation of kenaf bast fibre dispersions for use in latex products. J Rubber Res 21(4):256–276. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03449174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Dong Y et al (2011) Corrosion resistance characterization of porous alumina membrane supports. Mater Charact 62(4):409–418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2011.01.012

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Khemakhem S, Ben Amar R (2011) Grafting of fluoroalkylsilanes on microfiltration Tunisian clay membrane. Ceram Int 37(8):3323–3328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2011.04.128

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Vinoth Kumar R, Kumar Ghoshal A, Pugazhenthi G (2015) Elaboration of novel tubular ceramic membrane from inexpensive raw materials by extrusion method and its performance in microfiltration of synthetic oily wastewater treatment. J Membr Sci 490:92–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2015.04.066

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Malczewska B (2017) Investigations of the mechanism of the fouling in microgranular adsorptive filtration. J Water Land Dev 35(1):137–140. https://doi.org/10.1515/jwld-2017-0077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Das J, Mondal A, Biswas S, Nag S (2022) The eco-friendly treatment of rubber industry effluent by using adsorbent derived from Moringa oleifera bark and Pseudomonas sp., cultured from effluent. Water Sci Technol 86(11):2808–2819. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2022.387

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Ghosh D, Sinha MK, Purkait MK (2013) A comparative analysis of low-cost ceramic membrane preparation for effective fluoride removal using hybrid technique. Desalination 327:2–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2013.08.003

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Jedidi I et al (2011) Preparation of a new ceramic microfiltration membrane from mineral coal fly ash: application to the treatment of the textile dying effluents. Powder Technol 208(2):427–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2010.08.039

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Vasanth D, Pugazhenthi G, Uppaluri R (2013) Cross-flow microfiltration of oil-in-water emulsions using low cost ceramic membranes. Desalination 320:86–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2013.04.018

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Bin Bandar K, Alsubei MD, Aljlil SA, Bin Darwish N, Hilal N (2020) Membrane distillation process application using a novel ceramic membrane for Brackish water desalination. Desalination 500:114906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2020.114906

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Emani S, Uppaluri R, Purkait MK (2013) Preparation and characterization of low cost ceramic membranes for mosambi juice clarification. Desalination 317:32–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2013.02.024

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Mouiya M et al (2019) Fabrication and characterization of a ceramic membrane from clay and banana peel powder: application to industrial wastewater treatment. Mater Chem Phys 227:291–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2019.02.011

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Majouli A, Tahiri S, AlamiYounssi S, Loukili H, Albizane A (2012) Elaboration of new tubular ceramic membrane from local Moroccan Perlite for microfiltration process. Application to treatment of industrial wastewaters. Ceram Int 38(5):4295–4303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2012.02.010

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India [File No: EEQ/2018/001432].

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh, Tadepalligudem, Andhra Pradesh, 534101, India

    S. Lakshmi Sandhya Rani, K. V. V. Satyannarayana & R. Vinoth Kumar

Authors
  1. S. Lakshmi Sandhya Rani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. V. V. Satyannarayana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Vinoth Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All the authors contributed substantially to the conception of the work. SLSR made methodology, investigation, formal analysis, and writing of the original draft; KVVS performed investigation, formal analysis, and validation; RVK made conceptualization, writing, reviewing and editing, supervision, project administration and funding acquisition. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Vinoth Kumar.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Ethics approval

The manuscript has not been submitted to more than one journal for simultaneous consideration.

Consent to participate

The present study has not directly/indirectly involved humans and/or animals.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sandhya Rani, S.L., Satyannarayana, K.V.V. & Vinoth Kumar, R. Evaluation of fuller's earth clay ceramic membrane in treating raw rubber-processing wastewater. J Rubber Res 26, 205–219 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42464-023-00212-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42464-023-00212-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation