Rice Husks and Kaolin Based Ceramic Membrane for Filtration of Slaughterhouse Wastewater: Optimization Study Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Responses Interdependence Analysis

The optimization of properties of ceramic membrane by taking into account the correlation between their properties remains a challenge. The purpose of this study was to achieve this objective by using design of experiment to perform optimization of a ceramic membrane made from clays and rice husk. Two kaolinite clays, namely MY3 and KG, were used with rice husk to manufacture ceramic membranes. After sintering, the obtained products underwent characterizations such as flexural strength, open porosity, permeability, hydraulic diameter, XRD analysis and microscopy image analysis. The effects of each component on membrane properties were modelled with linear models. The results showed significant interactions between constituents and between membrane properties (porosity with resistance, permeability with porosity and hydraulic diameter). The optimal mixture consisted of 83% MY3, 15% KG and 2% rice husk which presented 8.0 MPa flexural strength, 30% porosity, 675 L.h–1.m–2.bar–1 permeability and 2.6 µm hydraulic diameter. Filtration of slaughterhouse wastewater showed a reduction of 97% chemical oxygen demand, 99% turbidity, 80% total dissolved solid, electrical conductivity and salinity. 84% pseudomonas and 75% vibrio cholerae were also eliminated.