The removal of bisphenol A by ultrafiltration

The removal of bisphenol A (BPA) from drinking water by ultrafiltration membrane (UF) using dead-end model was investigated. The experiment was focused on the effect of various factors on removal efficiency with respect to BPA initial concentration, molecular weight cut offs (MWCOs) of membrane, pH, ionic strength and organic matter. The results showed that UF could remove BPA effectively. UF with 2000-10,000 MWCOs removed BPA by over 92%, with initial concentration of BPA ranging from 100 to 600 mu g/L. As pH of solution approached to pK(a) (9.6-11.3) of BPA, BPA removal efficiency dropped significantly. The effect of ionic strength on BPA removal was not found. The influence of humic acid on BPA removal was minor. It can be concluded that adsorption play a significant role in BPA removal in UF process.