Performance and mechanism of direct As(III) removal from aqueous solution using low-pressure graphene oxide-coated membrane

Arsenic (As) contamination in drinking water is a serious problem worldwide. In this study, the removal of As(III) by graphene oxide (GO)-coated membranes was investigated. GO has been used effectively in water treatment processes because of its excellent water transport properties. Because of its toxicity and various oxidation steps, its removal from aqueous solutions has become a new area of study in membrane technology. Microfiltration, ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes were coated with GO and the efficiency of As(III) removal was investigated. GO-coated microfiltration membranes demonstrated 98% As(III) removal under 5 bar pressure. The physico-chemical properties of all the membranes were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and contact angle techniques.