Nanoscale zero-valent iron-modified PVDF membrane prepared by a simple filter-press coating method can robustly remove 2-chlorophenol from wastewater

In recent years, nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) has been considered an appealing alternative for halogenated organic compound removal for its advantages, such as its high activity. However, easy aggregation limits nZVI activity. In this study, functional nZVI-modified PVDF membranes (nZVI@PVDF membranes) were successfully prepared by a simple and easy-to-follow filter-press coating method and was applied in the ultrafiltration process to treat 2-chlorophenol (2-cp) wastewater. Scanning electron microscopy showed that nZVI particles were relatively uniformly distributed on the membrane surface and formed a fluffy and porous space-stacked structure. 2-cp ultrafiltration degradation results illustrated that nZVI@PVDF membranes revealed good 2-cp removal efficiencies ranged from 56.06% to74.62%. These 2-cp removal efficiencies were higher than those for Fe supported on powder materials and were relatively comparable to those for nZVI composite membranes prepared by complex methods (e.g., blend spinning and cross-linking methods). Furthermore, the 2-cp degradation efficiencies by nZVI@PVDF membranes were not affected much in the presence of natural organic matter and different ions, demonstrating a robust anti-interference ability of nZVI@PVDF membrane. The mechanism underlying its robust performance likely resulted from that nZVI was uniformly distributed and loaded layer by layer on the PVDF membrane surface with high loading capacity, which guaranteed high nZVI activity, layer-layer interception of pollutants and complete reaction between nZVI and pollutants. These findings provide key insights into how nZVI@PVDF membranes could be integrated into the treatment of wastewater containing refractory pollutants.