Technologies based on new surfactants for wastewater treatment

Abstract

There is a trend to select, characterize and use new types of surfactants for phase separation processes and developing membranary technologies (e.g. emulsion and liquid membranes) with high yield in removal of: organic substances, metals, dyes, etc, from wastewater. New surfactants are improved continuously, as required because of the dynamics of user technologies and of the indispensability of environmental protection through selection of raw materials without adversely affecting the environment. The paper provides new technological solutions for separation of pollutants from wastewater using gemini and bolaamfifile surfactants, with creation self assembling structures. These new self assembling nanostructures obtained are used in the technology of separation emulsion membranes. Novel technologies based on surfactants are effective, fast, have a convenient price, not require complex utilities, ecologic because reduced the negative environmental impact. Due to specific properties such as micellization, solubility, solubilization, surface activity, surfactants intervene in the membrane production process, in the pre-treatment and their characterization respectively but also in the membrane separation processes (filtration, micellar ultrafiltration) of organic compounds (dyes, intermediaries, phenols, proteins) and metal ions.