Electrospun Polyvinyl Chloride/UiO-66(COOH)2 Nanocomposite Membranes for Efficient and Rapid Heavy Metal Removal

= 40.5 mg/g). Further experiments showed that the presence of salts, such as chlorides, nitrates, and sulfates, did not significantly affect lead and cadmium removal. Conversely, mercury removal was consistently low, regardless of these conditions. Additionally, temperature-dependent studies revealed that increasing temperature enhanced both removal efficiency and adsorption capacity, confirming that the process was spontaneous and endothermic. Interestingly, the reusability of the membranes showed a consistent removal efficiency of over 90% for lead after four cycles of use, particularly at 15 ppm, although the other metals exhibited a decrease in efficiency. Almost all pollutants showed a better fit for Langmuir and second-order kinetic models, suggesting that adsorption is a single-layered chemical adsorption process. Furthermore, a membrane holder design was fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing and tested to underscore the potential of PVC/MOFs composite membranes as effective materials for efficient and rapid heavy metal remediation (5 mins) in contaminated water sources. The holder significantly improved lead removal efficiency while maintaining mechanical stability, addressing the issue of handling MOFs powder alone by providing a robust matrix and support for both the MOFs and the membrane. This approach facilitates easier handling while maintaining a high efficiency, paving the way for potential industrial applications.