Fe-loaded hollow fiber carbon microfiltration membrane and its BPA removal performance based on electro-Fenton

Bisphenol (BPA) poses significant risks to the environment. Application of advanced oxidation processes with membrane filtration systems is an effective approach to pollutants removal and membrane fouling control. Herein, we successfully fabricated a Fe-loaded ZIF-8 hollow fiber carbon microfiltration membrane and applied it to the in-situ electro-Fenton process for BPA removal. The graphitic-N promotes the efficiency of electron transfer and the adsorption capacity of O 2 , while the introduction of pyridinic-N on the membrane enhances the selectivity of 2e - oxygen reduction reaction, facilitating the production of hydroxyl radicals. According to the results, the contact angle and resistance of the membrane were 65° and 33.2 Ω, respectively. The hydrophilicity facilitates a water film formation on the surface of membrane, thus preventing deep membrane pore blockage by pollutants. The good conductivity could accelerate electrochemical reactions and enhance electrostatic repulsion. Therefore, the BPA removal rate was 38.29 % with 0.72 L/(m 2 ·h·bar) flux loss for continuous 4-hour filtration under microfiltration conditions. For the control group without bias, the removal rate at the 4th hour was only 16.8 % with 3.59 L/(m 2 ·h·bar) flux loss, indicating a significant weakening of adsorption effect and severe membrane fouling. This study lays the foundation for the application of electro-Fenton technology in wastewater treatment with membrane as cathode.