Incorporation of clay-based adsorbent into polyvinylidene fluoride membrane for enhanced phosphorus capture in aqueous solution

Phosphorus (P) is a vital component of life, an irreplaceable and non-renewable resource, and is considered a pillar of global food security. The removal and recycling of P from wastewater have recently drawn interest as a sustainable technique for the circular economy of this nutrient. In this study, a chemically modified clay adsorbent was added to the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) solution to produce a material that could adsorb P from the solution. A more porous membrane was then produced using the phase inversion method. The cross-section morphology observed using scanning electron microscopy showed that all membranes possess a het-erogeneous structure. Additionally, the P uptake equilibrium was established in 360 min contact time, which led to the removal of 50% (0.75 mg P g-1) of the initial P in the solution. The obtained membrane is a promising material with considerable potential for P uptake from solutions.