LAUSR

Abstract In this article, removal of cobalt ions from synthetic liquid wastes aimed at surfactant and water reuse was carried out using a micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) process, adding an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate or SDS), with a lab-scale ceramic ultrafiltration membrane. In the first part of the study, ultrafiltration was studied to define the removal yields of cobalt from initial solutions. During these experiments, the effect of membrane size (1–210 kDa) and surfactant concentration (0-4-10 mM) was studied. Results showed a positive effect of surfactant on removal efficiency; maximum yields (>90%), with an initial cobalt concentration of 9.7 mg/L, were obtained by using the highest level of surfactant. After ultrafiltration, separation of metal and recovery of surfactant was carried out by acidification with sulfuric acid followed by another step of ultrafiltration. Results of the second series of experiments showed that separation yields for cobalt >96% could be obtained af...