Removal of Ni(II) ions from wastewater by micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration

The feasibility in the use of a sodium dodecyl sulfate anionic surfactant and nonionic monoalkylphenol polyetoxilate to purify contaminated waters of Ni(II) ions has been studied. Both the retention coefficients and the transmembrane fluxes have been determined at purification of the different systems containing Ni(II) ions, anionic, and nonionic surfactants. A choice has been made of the most effective ultrafiltration membrane for its following use in the micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration process. An optimum value of the operating pressure has been determined. As has been shown on an example of the Ni(II) ions, micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration may make use of purified wastewaters from heavy metal ions. The most effective application of this process to remove the heavy metal ions from wastewaters takes place when concentration of the surfactants (both ionic and nonionic ones) is equal to the critical concentration of micelle formation and/or it is lower than that.