Exploring ammonia adsorption and filtration efficiency of ceramic membranes derived from weathered basalt: Fabrication analysis and application in wastewater treatment

Abstract

This study aims to develop an innovative ceramic membrane derived from weathered basalt (NWB) for the effective adsorption and filtration of ammonium ions (NH₄⁺) from wastewater. The NWB was subjected to calcination to create NWB-750 and further combined with activated carbon to form NWB-AC-950. Comprehensive characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis revealed that NWB-AC-950 possessed a significantly high surface area of 121.7 m²/g and a minimal pore volume of 6.2 nm, indicating its enhanced adsorption capabilities. In practical filtration tests, NWB-AC-950 demonstrated a remarkable reduction in NH₄⁺ concentration, decreasing it from an initial 30 mg/L to 15.25 mg/L. This substantial decrease underscores the membrane's efficiency in adsorbing and removing ammonium ions from contaminated water. Furthermore, the integration of activated carbon with calcined basalt not only improved the adsorption performance but also maintained the structural integrity and reusability of the membrane. These findings illustrate the potential of NWB-AC-950 as a promising and cost-effective medium for adsorption and filtration in wastewater treatment applications.The development of NWB-AC-950 contributes significantly to environmental remediation efforts by offering an efficient and low-cost alternative to conventional filtration materials. Its ability to maintain performance across multiple cycles underscores its potential for practical applications in large-scale wastewater treatment facilities, thus providing a sustainable solution to address the growing global water pollution crisis. • Ceramic membranes synthesized for effective ammonia removal from water. • NWB-750 and NWB-AC-950 showed high adsorption capacities for ammonia. • Membranes demonstrated reusability with minimal loss in efficiency. • Detailed characterization using SEM, XRD, FT-IR, and BET analysis.