International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE) ISSN: 2277-3878, Volume-8 Issue-2, July 2019 1470 Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering & Sciences Publication Retrieval Number: B2112078219/19©BEIESP DOI: 10.35940/ijrte.B2112.078219 Enhancement of Separation Efficiency for Nano Filtration Membrane using Water-Soluble Polymer. P.G.Bansod, Dinesh Bhutada, Shrikant Barkade, Shyam kodape Abstract. In this study, an aqueous solution containing a mixture of heavy metal ion Cr(III) were treated by polymer enhanced Nanofiltration using polyethylene glycol as a binding agent polymer. The performance of PEG in removing heavy metal ion Cr (III) was compared with PEG and without PEG addition using polyamide Nano filtrationmembrane. The percentage rejection of heavy metal ions was studied under the different value of pH, metal ion concentration and flow rate. AtpH 10,percentage rejection of heavy metal ion was highest at around 99.2%,whereas,at 200ppm concentration and at 3(l/hm 2 )flow rate percentage rejection of heavy metal ion with PEG was highest 99.5%,it was found that PEG gave higher percentage rejection of Cr(III) ion than without the addition of PEG. Keywords-Nanofiltration, water soluble polymer, heavy metal, metal complex I. INTRODUCTION The increasing water pollution by heavy metal ion has become a series issue, because they are non-biodegradable and some of them are highly toxic and have a probable carcinogenic effect[1].The maximum contaminant level (MCL) standard for heavy metal established USA environmental protection agency is chromium 0.05 mg/l.[2].Chromium above the maximum contaminant level in water causes a problem of headache, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, chronic, asthma, coughing etc.[3][2].Wastewater from various industries containing heavy metal ions, which must be removed, before recycling or discharge directly in surface water, the conventional process are used for separation of heavy metal like chemical precipitation, ion- exchange, adsorption or bioseparation. [3][4].But conventionalprocesses have a significant disadvantage of incomplete removal, high energy requirement, production of toxic sludge. [5]Nowadays, membrane separation process such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and electrodialysis are significantly used for separation of heavy metals[6][7]. Complexation of metal ions by binding polymers is used in conjunction with nan filtration in a process known as polymer enhanced Nanofiltration.The water-soluble polymer contains one or more amine, amide, carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, phosphonic acid, quaternary ammonium salts, and sulfonic acid groups at the backbone or side chain and their abilityto remove ion pollutants from aqueous solutions.[8][9].[10].. Revised Manuscript Received on July 06, 2019. G.Bansod, Department of Chemical Engineering, Sinhgad College of Engineering, Vadgaon, Pune-41. Dinesh Bhutada, MIT, World Peace University, Department of Petrochemical Engineering, Pune-41 Shrikant Barkade, Department of Chemical Engineering, Sinhgad College of Engineering, Vadgaon, Pune-41 Shyam kodape, VNIT, Department of chemical Engineering, Nagpur- 440010 The complexation filtration techniques have been shown to be a promising technique towards the removal of heavy metals ions. [10][9]Separation of heavy metals from the large volume of polluted water at low concentration of heavy metal ions by conventional technique is not economically feasible and eco-friendly[1].In this case, the removal of heavy metal is more effective by complexation- nanofiltration techniques. In order to separate heavy metal ion by complexation technique, heavy metal ions formed complex with water-soluble polymer, thus, the size of metal ion increases (complex) in aqueous solution andit can separate with higher efficiency,[11][12], In previous research, ultrafiltration and microfiltration membranes was used for separation of heavy metal ions with complexation technique(water-soluble polymer),but it had disadvantages, like percentage separation efficiency waslimited which made the processes unsuitable for separation of heavy metals ions to large volume with dilute concentration[6]. the numberwater soluble polymer can use for separation of heavy metal, but polyethylene glycol hasshown good chemical stability, high efficiency and selectivity towards a separation of heavy metal ions Cr3+.[13][10][14].PEG has effective for separation heavy metal ion cr.[15] The complexation –Nano filtration is proved to be a new promising technique for separation of heavy metals ions for dilute concentration with large volume.[16] The use of water-soluble (metal binding) polymer in combination with Nanofiltration is a hybrid approach to separate selectively and recover valuable elements of heavy metal. In complexation –NF process cationic of heavy metal ion form complexes with micro ligand in order to increase their molecular weight with size larger than the pore size of the selected membrane, that can be retained by the membrane, whereas permeate water is separated from heavy metal. The advantage of the complexation separation is high selectivity, low energy requirement and high separation efficiency. The water-soluble polymeric ligand has shown powerful substance to remove traces of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution and industrial wastewater by using membrane technique.[17] The present work, attempt has been made to use inexpensive and easily available water soluble polymer (PEG) to formation of complex with heavy metal ion ,the objective of present work is investigate the effect of water soluble polymer PEG on separation efficiency of heavy metal ion (Cr III) using polyamide nanofiltration membrane.