Engineering and Technology Journal 41 (03) (2023) 512-528

Engineering and Technology Journal

Journal homepage: https://etj.uotechnology.edu.iq

A Review on the Separation of Volatile Organic Compounds from

Wastewater by Pervaporation Processes

Salam H. Rasheed* a, Salah S. Ibrahima , Adel Zrellib , Alberto Figolic , Adnan Alhathal
AlAnezid , Qusay F. Alsalhya
a
Chemical Engineering Dept., University of Technology-Iraq, Alsina’a street, 10066 Baghdad, Iraq.
b
High Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology of Gabes, University of Gabes, Omar Ibn. Elkhattab st. 6072 Gabes, Tunisia.
c
Institute on Membrane Technology, ITM-CNR, Calabria University, Italy
d
Chemical Engineering Department, Technology at College of Technological Studies (CST), TPAAET, Kuwait
*Corresponding author Email: [email protected]

HIGHLIGHTS ABSTRACT
• Pervaporation process (PV) is one of the
Pervaporation (PV) is one of the distinctive membrane separation processes
membrane separation methods.
harnessed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) removal from water. The
• The pervaporation process is part of a chain
process is characterized by low cost, ease of installation, lack of chemicals, and
of water treatment processes.
operation at moderate temperatures. PV is part of a chain of water treatment
• Various types of membranes were processes and has eminent efficiency for pollutant removal, drying processes,
developed by adding different materials to and many others. The presence of benzene, toluene and their compounds at high
improve membrane performance. concentrations in water are problematic due to their harmful effects on humans
• Benzene and toluene were removed from the and the environment as many carcinogenic diseases may induce. The present
water via the pervaporation process. review will investigate the efficiency of the PV process for separating VOCs
from water such as benzene and toluene and the troublesome associated with the
ARTICLE INFO entire separation process. Besides, reviewing the recent advances in various
membrane processes and membrane modification routes targeted to optimizing
Handling editor: Mustafa H. Al-Furaiji the process performance along with optimized operational conditions. Besides,
reviewing the recent advances in various membrane processes and membrane
Keywords:
modification routes targeted to optimizing the process performance along with
Pervaporation processes; Membrane; VOCs;
optimized operational conditions.
Benzene; Toluene.

1. Introduction
By 2050, the global population will already have multiplied by 40-50 percent. In parallel, there is a keen interest in water
treatment processes in order to accommodate the increasing demand for drinking water [1]. The presence of VOC
contaminants in any river water poses a serious threat to the ecosystem and must be tackled urgently. The removal of benzene,
toluene, and their components poses a troublesome to water treatment scientists. Some chemicals, such as styrene, phenol,
cyclohexane, aniline, and polyester resins, were prepared using a benzene compound. It is often used in the manufacture of
drugs, dyes, insecticides, and plastics. Besides which, it is produced by refinery operations and mixes with the water used in
these operations, where its concentration could indeed reach 16 ppm. Toluene, on the other hand, is a common solvent used in
paints, glues, and printing ink. Toluene is produced during refinery operations and mixes with the water used in these
operations, reaching concentration levels of up to 55 ppm. These benzene and toluene fractions are considered high and very
dangerous to humans and the environment, having caused many carcinogenic diseases. Undoubtedly, these contaminants must
be taken down mostly using advanced, efficient, and cost-effective methodologies. To produce items like refrigerants, plastics,
adhesives, paints, and petroleum products, many industrial applications nowadays require organic solvents in their
technological processes. [2–7]. Substantial quantities of VOC-contaminated water are generated often by various industrial
processes, which are toxic to the environment and humans [7-10]. PV used to consider removing organic components from
water can indeed be categorized into two types: hydrophilic pervaporation and organophilic pervaporation. There also is target
organic pervaporation, which is used to separate organic matter from each other. VOC solubility in water is frequently very
low, implying low concentration in water. Particularly, it does not make sense to use large and expensive processes to remove
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http://doi.org/10.30684/etj.2023.138340.1386
Received 14 February 2023; Accepted 15 March 2023; Available online 22 March 2023
2412-0758/University of Technology-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
 Salam H. Rasheed et. al Engineering and Technology Journal 41 (03) (2023) 512-528

these compounds, such as distillation, oxidation, biological treatment, and adsorption [11]. Where it is commonly used,
regardless of high energy demand or azeotrope formation [10,12-17]. In comparison to certain other treatment methods, the
distinguished advances of PV are considered a promising technology in treating diluted VOCs aqueous effluents of many
industries. PV, in particular, is distinguished by the absence of emission issues, the absence of expensive regeneration steps,
and low costs [18-20], as well as compact/modular designs and the potential of reusing recovered VOCs solvents [11].
This review focuses on recent advances in the PV process, the mechanisms that enable it, and other common hybrid
separation processes. A state-of-the-art review was furnished for research dealing with PV technology applications targeting
the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), precisely benzene and toluene. Nonetheless, the potential for improving
the specifications and characteristics of the separation membranes is harnessed in such processes.

1.1 Hydrophilic pervaporation

This technique involves separating water from an aqueous-organic mixture by passing it preferentially through a
membrane where there is an affinity between the water and the membrane. For example, azeotrope breaking in binary mixtures
[21-31], multi-component mixture dehydration (continuous and batch), and batch-wise dehydration in discontinuous processes.

1.2 Organophilic pervaporation

It is also renowned as hydrophobic pervaporation, and it takes place once hydrocarbon compounds are separated from an
aqueous-organic mixture owing to the hydrocarbons' attraction to the membrane, where there is an affinity between the organic
substance and the membrane. For example, wastewater treatment [32], separating organic material from ground and drinking
water, separating alcohol from beer and wine, disposal of aromatic compounds in feed technology[33-35], removal of
compounds from a fermentation broth in biotechnology, purification of 1-butanol from aqueous solution [36], and
decarboxylation of beverages [37, 38].

1.3 Target organic pervaporation

This procedure entails the separation of organic matter from each other. For example, benzene separation from
cyclohexane [32, 39], ethanol separation from ethyl-tert-butyl ether (ETBE) [40], xylene isomer separation [41], and toluene
and heptane separation [42]. The results of the pervaporation processes at varying conditions and membranes can be seen in
Table 1. VOCs can indeed be separated from water using multiple techniques such as adsorption, oxidation, and biological
treatment [11]. Most conventional processes have drawbacks when it comes to separating VOCs. For example, in air stripping,
water pollution could turn into air pollution. In adsorption, activated carbon must be generated which is a costly process. while
advanced oxidation is only efficient for specific compounds and is very expensive and may form harmful byproducts while
biological treatment needs to long time [2,13].The results for the pervaporation processes at different conditions and different
membranes.

Table 1: The results for the pervaporation processes at different conditions and different membranes

Flux
Membrane VOCs T (°C) Con. Pressure S.F Ref.
(g/m2.h)

(polydimethylsiloxane)PDM
Ethanol 45-60 6% wt 300 pa 1108 7.6
S +Lotus leave powder
[43]
PDVB(polydivinylbenzene)
Ethanol 45-60 6% wt 300 pa 1423 10
coated PDMS
675 29
Toluene
786 24
polydimethylsiloxane 9-10 344 19
Ethanol 40 5-25%wt [44]
membrane (PDMS) mbar 386 14
338 21
Propanol
383 18
0.1%wt 180 91
45 20 mbar
0.7%wt 610 63
propyl 35 210 98
Polyvinyl chloride 0.3 20 mbar [45]
acetate 65 710 32
2 mbar 120 11
45 0.3
65 mbar 1570 158
PDMS @ 11 10
PDMS_plasma_C8 @ 8 7
membrane (PDMS).-Nacl @ 13 11
PDMS_Al2O3_nat 30 5%wt @ 10 10 [46]
PDMS_Al2O3_mod._C8 @ 21 11
PDMS/PVDF @ 8 9
Pervap™4060 Ethanol @ 201 9
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Table 1: Continued
Flux
Membrane VOCs T (°C) Conc. Pressure S.F Ref.
(g/m2.h)

Polydimethylsiloxane- 3-
aminopropyltriethoxysilane
(APTS) and 3-
40 10%wt 20 kpa 234 12 [47]
triethoxysilylpropyl)ethylen
ediamine
(TSED)

PDMS acetonitrile 40 5913 ppm 4-15 mbar 31.56 28.2 [48]

4 15
PDMS
40 7 3
phenol 0.5%wt 200 pa [49]
70 3 3.5
PDMS + oleyl alcohol (5%)
11 6.5
ZSM-5 zeolite filled
polydimethylsiloxane
(PDMS) composite
Acetaldehyde 25 8 %wt @ 2333.3 35 [50]
membranes with Nylon
micro-filtration membrane
as the support layer
20ppm 3 493
PDMS Styrene 30 1mmHg [51]
300ppm 12 812
PEBA ( polyamide and 4 %wt 300 66
MTBE 30 0.3 mbar [52]
polyether) 8 %wt 900 63
30 0.5 %wt 2.7 41
Pervap® 4060 Acetone 5.5 kpa [53]
60 10 %wt 9 37
B-ZSM-5 Ethanol 60 5%wt @ 243 31 [54]
Ge-ZSM-5 Ethanol 30 5%wt @ 317 47 [55]
Silicalite-1 Ethanol 30 10 %wt @ 133 31 [56]
Conc. (Concentration); @ (unknown); S.F. (Separation Factor)

This review research focuses on the pervaporation process for separating VOCs such as benzene and toluene from water,
including the different types of membranes used for this purpose and different working conditions such as temperature,
pressure, flow rate, and concentration.

2. Hybrid processes
Pervaporation is a membrane technology that can be exploited in a wide range of industries. However, it is typically used
as an integrative process to improve process efficiency. Three industrial examples of integrated systems requiring
pervaporation are organic dehydration, organic removal from aqueous solutions, and organic-organic separations. Dehydration
of organic materials The use of a hydrophilic membrane was the first practical application of pervaporation to dehydrate
organic solvents. This is still the most widely applied application for pervaporation. In the chemical and petrochemical
industries, for example, integrating distillation and pervaporation is the perfect way to perform dehydration or debottleneck
challenging separations. A bioreactor or reactor can also be equipped with hydrophilic membranes to remove byproduct water
[57-61]. Other researchers focused on combining PV and molecular sieves to continue improving the ethanol drying process
[62].
The extraction of organics from aqueous solutions is a more recent application of pervaporation than the extraction of
organic species with low solubility in water. Examples encompass integrated fermentation-pervaporation systems for
bioalcohol recovery. Most researchers have examined combining fermentation with separation technologies such as
distillation, a common but often inefficient strategy, solvent extraction, gas stripping, adsorption, and pervaporation.
Pervaporation has several advantages, including clear product separation and no heat, chemical, or mechanical stress on
microorganisms. Combining fermentation with environmentally and economically advantageous membrane methods for
alcohol removal [63] Pervaporation is thus recognized as a powerful method for the on-site separation, concentration, and
purification of bioreaction products in modern industrial-scale biotechnology [64]. Figure (1) depicts a combined fermentation-
pervaporation system [65].
To recover alcohols in fermentation-pervaporation systems, a variety of hydrophobic membranes were used, including
ceramic membranes, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polypropylene, and (PDMS) [66].

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Figure 1: Integrated fermentation-pervaporation system [65]

Sosa and Espinosa [60] employed a hybrid distillation-pervaporation approach to perform a techno-economic feasibility
study on isopropanol recovery from a stream comprising 95.64 weight percent isopropanol and 4.36 weight percent water. To
accomplish this, a commercial hydrophilic membrane is used to pervaporate the feed stream, resulting in a 99.7 percent pure
alcohol retentate stream. To compensate for isopropanol losses in the permeate stream, a distillation procedure is used. Szitkai
et al. [67] propose yet another hybrid distillation-pervaporation procedure for ethanol separation. It includes a pervaporation
unit for producing pure ethanol after a distillation column near the ethanol/water azeotrope is used for preliminary separation.
As a matter of fact, the integration of distillation and pervaporation processes can be used in two scenarios: first,
pervaporation-distillation to reduce ethanol loss, and second, distillation-pervaporation to achieve high product purity. The
proposed integrated system's layout is depicted in Figure (2).

Figure 2: Integrated distillation-pervaporation system configurations [66]

Haelssig et al. [68-69] proposed membrane dephlegmation, a hybrid pervaporation-distillation method that strengthens the
recovery of ethanol produced by fermentation. They combined the two procedures into a single system, substituting a
dehydration membrane device for the rectifying column. Commercial tubular NaA zeolite membranes with a selective layer
inside the tubes were used to provide a workable shape for the technique. Figure 1 depicts a schematic representation of the
ethanol separation process (3). This study investigated the effectiveness of separation concerning feeding flow rate, feed
concentration, permeate pressure, reflux ratio, membrane length, and membrane diameter. A mathematical model was used to
explain the transport processes that occur in the hybrid process.
For wastewater treatment and environmental protection, many integrated distillation-pervaporation-adsorption systems and
integrated photocatalyst-pervaporation systems were used [5, 70-73]. Camera-Roda et al. [73] used titanium dioxide (TiO2)
powder in a photocatalyst-pervaporation hybrid process to remove 4-Chlorophenol from water. Figure (4) depicts this process
[74].
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PV is now used in industrial organic-organic separations, particularly in the chemical and petrochemical industries. A
cutting-edge application in this field alleviates concerns about SOx emissions in the atmosphere while also being associated
with the petrochemical sector. A novel method of pervaporating sulfur from gasoline will improve desulfurization.
Pervaporative separation, on the other hand, may lead to a method of producing gasoline that complies with environmental
regulations for ultra-low sulfur fuels[75-76].

Figure 3: The pervaporation and distillation in one unit [66]

Figure 4: Photocatalyst –pervaporation hybrid process [74]

3. Pervaporation mechanism:
Pervaporation is a membrane separation process that, like reverse osmosis, dialysis, and electrodialysis, is distinguished by
the presence of two phases, the liquid phase on the upstream and the gas phase on the downstream, which is formed as a result
of the use of vacuum pressure. A liquid stream of two or more components in direct contact with one side of the membrane and
a vacuum or sweep gas flow to the other side of the membrane in the cells that are commonly used in PV, sorb into the
membrane, permeate through it, and evaporate into the vapour phase. Outside of the cell, the vapour condenses. The main
driving force for PV is the chemical potential difference of each species across the membrane, and the concentration difference
of each component is frequently conveniently approximated [11].
The membrane used in the separation process is non-porous, and the process's success is dependent on the interaction
between the membrane and the material passing through it, as illustrated in Figure (5a) [77].
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Figure 5: (a) Pervaporation process (b) Schematic diagram of the pervaporation process [77]

In general, the pervaporation tests were carried out using a laboratory scale device, as shown in the schematic diagram in
Figure (5b), in which a specific volume containing a mixture of water and volatile organic compounds was prepared in a glass
flask, and to control the temperature, the flask was immersed in a thermo digital water bath set to different temperatures, and
the mixture was then pumped into the membrane cell a. A vacuum pump designed for this purpose was used to control the
vacuum pressure in the downstream section of the cell. All permeability samples were collected in a vapour trap immersed in a
liquid nitrogen medium. Figure (6) [78] describes two designs for the pervaporation process.

3.1 Solution Diffusion Mechanism

Pervaporation procedures employ non-porous membranes that rely on a three-step solution diffusion mechanism. The first
step is sorption, in which the target substance adheres to the membrane surface. The molecules can then pierce polymeric
chains in the second step, diffusion. The second step is determined by the membrane's affinity for the species. Desorption is the
third step, in which the material's phase changes from liquid to vapour due to the downstream vacuum pressure [79-81].

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Figure 6: (a) vacuum pervaporation, (b) sweep gas pervaporation [78]

3.2 Preferential Sorption-Capillary Flow (PSCF) Mechanism

This mechanism is based on a porous membrane, in which the target substance is transported from upstream to
downstream via tiny capillary channels and then evaporates due to vacuum pressure [82-83]. The size and distribution of the
pores in the membrane, the molecular size of the target substance, and the interaction between the membrane and the target
substance all influence this mechanism.
Many scientists worked tirelessly to improve the type of membrane and increase flux and selectivity across the membrane.
In general, two parameters are used to evaluate membrane performance in pervaporation processes: flux and separation factor.
Flux is defined as the rate of target material transfer through a unit area of the separation membrane over a given time period.
Kg/m2.h and g/cm2.s are two frequently used flux units in pervaporation processes. Selectivity in the system, on the other hand,
is composed of two substances (a and b), such as water-benzene or water-toluene, and can be defined as the ratio of the mole
fraction of the components in the permeate to that in the feed:
𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦/𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦
α= (1)
𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥/𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥

where α is selectivity,ya, yb, xa, xb are the mole fraction in the permeate (y) and the feed (x) [84].

4. Separation Benzene –Water

The hexagonal cyclic structure C6H6 of the volatile chemical benzene is depicted in Figure (7). It is a flammable liquid that
is non-polar and colourless, with excellent thermal stability specifications as shown in Table (2).

Table 2: Physical properties of benzene [85]

Physical properties of benzene
Freezing point, °C 5.533
Boiling point, °C 80.100
Density at 25°C (g/cm3) 0.8737
Refractive index 1.49792
Viscosity (absolute) at 20°C (cP) 0.6468
Surface tension at 25°C (dyn/cm) 28.18
Critical temperature (°C) 289.45

Styrene, phenol, cyclohexane, aniline, polyester resins, alkylbenzenes, and chlorobenzenes are all made from benzene.
Benzene is also used in the production of drugs, dyes, insecticides, and plastics [86]. Furthermore, the benzene compound is
produced by refinery operations and mixed with the water used in these operations, where its concentration can reach up to 16
ppm [87]. This percentage is considered high and very dangerous to humans and the environment, as it causes many
carcinogenic diseases [88]. As a result, it must be disposed of before being thrown into the river.

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Figure 7: Benzene molecule Figure 8: Effects of the ionic liquid content on the
normalized permeation (■) and benzene concentration in
the permeate (■) through the PVC and[ABIM]
TFSI/PVC membranes during PV [89]

Uragami et al.[89] separated benzene-water using two distinct membrane types, the first of which is polyvinyl chloride
(PVC), in operating conditions of 40°C, 1.33 Pa, 500 ppm benzene concentration, 13.8 cm2 active area, 1.3910-5 kg.m/m2.hr
normalized permeation rate and 8.1 wt percent benzene in the permeate. The second contained polyvinyl chloride and 1-allyl-
3-butylimidazilium bis (trifluoromethane sulfonyl imide [ABIM] TFSI, an ionic liquid with a high affinity for VOCs but a low
affinity for water. The normalized permeation rate under the same conditions was 1.9110-5 kg.m/m2.hr, and the permeate
contained 38.4 wt percent benzene, as shown in Figure (8). Wu et al. [90] employed a novel composite made of (Calixarenes)
CA-filled polydimythlsiloxan (PDMS) to construct 4 distinct membranes to remove benzene from an aqueous solution. The
pervaporation process was carried out at a temperature of 60°C, a pressure of 1-10 kPa, a benzene concentration of 0.14 wt
percent, and an active area of 25.6 cm2. The first was a (PDMS) membrane with a flux of 0.126 kg/m2/hr and a separation
factor of 3302. The second membrane was the CA-f-PDMS membrane, with a flux of 0.116 kg/m2 hr and a separation factor of
5604. The third was PDMS combined with non-woven fabric to create a composite membrane with a flux of 0.365 kg/m2 hr
and a separation factor of 4600. The fourth membrane was a CA-f-PDMS composite membrane with a flux of 0.407 kg/m2.hr
and a separation factor of 5913. Figure 9(a-c) depicts the membrane structures in various cases.
Peng et al. [91] separated benzene from water using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane at temperatures ranging
from 30 to 60 degrees Celsius. There was a vacuum pressure of 0.2 kPa. The benzene concentration was increased from 250 to
750 ppm, and the active area was reduced to 28 cm2. Based on the solution-diffusion mechanism, they used a mathematical
model to predict mass transfer through the membrane. Figure (10) depicts the relationship between benzene concentration and
total flux in the experimental and predictive models. Figure (11) depicts the effect of benzene concentration on the separation
factor in the experimental and predictive models.
At low feed concentrations, both the predictions of the proposed mathematical model to explain total flux permeation and
the separation factor showed remarkable agreement with the experimental data obtained, as shown in the figures above. It is
also noticed that as the concentration of benzene increases, so does the factor of inaccuracy. It can be argued that these
inaccuracies are due to the experiment failing to reach the assumed swelling equilibrium. As a result, the volume fraction of
the components on the membrane's surface was overestimated by the model. In fact, it is simple to achieve a swelling
equilibrium, especially at low benzene concentrations, and thus the predicted and experimental data can typically agree,
whereas, at higher concentrations, the non-equilibrium is more obvious, leading to an increase in computation error [91].
Uragami et al. [92] used polydimethylsiloxan with different cross-links to separate benzene from benzene-water at a
temperature of 40°C, a vacuum pressure of 0.01mmHg, a benzene concentration of 500 ppm, and an active area of 13.8 cm2. In
this research, dimethyl methacrylate macromonomer, divinylbenzene (DVB), divinylsiloxane (DVS), and ethylene glycol
dimethyl methacrylate (EGDM) were used. Table (3) shows the results of pervaporation processes used to separate benzene
compounds from water under various conditions and with multiple membranes.

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Figure 9: (a) CA-f-PDMS membrane, (b) CA-f-PDMS composite membrane, and (c) non-woven fabric [90]

Table 3: Pervaporation process results and conditions for benzene separation from aqueous solution
Flux
Membrane T (°C) Con. Pressure S.F Ref.
(g/m2.h)
PDMS 0.126 3302
Calixarene (CA) filled PDMS
0.116 5604 [90]
PDMS with non-woven fabric

0.365 4600
CA-f-PDMS composite membrane

60 0.14wt% 1-10kpa 0.47 5913

PDMS 30-60 250-750ppm 0.2kpa 100-180 15000-8000 [91]
PDMS poly(dimethylsiloxane) dimethyl
0.0514 1853
methacrylate macromonomer (PDMSDMMA)
PDMS - Divinylbenzene (DVB) Cross-Linked 0.0455 3099
40 500 0.01mmHg
PDMS -divinylsiloxane (DVS) Cross-Linked 0.0709 2886
PDMS -ethylene glycol dimethyl methacrylate
(EGDM) Cross-Linked
0.0496 2011 [92]

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Figure 10: The relation between the benzene concentration in feed and the total
flux in experimental and predicted [91]

Figure 11: The relation between the benzene concentration in feed and
separation factor in experimental and predicted [91]

5. Separation Toluene – Water

Toluene is a clear, colorless liquid with the chemical formula C6H5CH3. Toluene is more reactive than benzene due to the
presence of a methyl group. Table 1 shows the specifications (4).

Table 4: The physical properties of toluene

Physical properties of Toluene
Melting point of Toluene −95 °C

Boiling point 111 °C

Density at 25◦C (g/ml) 0.87 g/mL

The molecular weight of Toluene 92.141 g/mol

Refractive index 1.497 (20 °C)

viscosity 0.590 cp (20 °C)

Solubility in water 0.52 g/L (20 °C)

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Toluene is a widely used solvent in paints, glues, printing ink, and leather tanners [93]. Toluene is produced during
refinery operations and mixes with the water used in these operations, reaching concentrations of up to 55 ppm [87].
Hamouni et al. [44] separated toluene-water employing polydimethylsiloxan (PDMS) at a temperature of 40 °C, a pressure
of 9-10 mbar, a concentration of 5 -25 wt percent, and an active area of 46.55 cm2. The separation factor was 29-24, and the
flux was 0.675-0.786 kg/m2 hr. Matavos et al. [94] used pure polyether-block-amide (PEBA) membranes with different
thicknesses (25, 50, and 75 m) and PEBA/2 wt. percent NaX nanozeolite at 25 °C, 1 kPa, 50-400 ppm concentration, and 24.6
cm2 active area. The outcomes are depicted in Figure (12) and Table (5).
Figure (12) depicts the relationship between the toluene concentration in the feed (a, b, and c) and the flux, permeation
selectivity at different membrane thicknesses, and (d) PEBA/2 wt. percent NaX (d 50 μm) [94].

Figure 12: The relation between the toluene concentration in the feed and (a,b.c)the flux, selectivity in the permeation
at a different thickness of the membrane and (d) PEBA/2 wt.% NaX (d 50μm) [94]

Salehi et al. [95] used polydimethylsiloxan (PDMS) + polyethersulfune (PES) as a composite membrane at 30-50°C, 1
mbar pressure, toluene concentration of 150-300 ppm, and an active area of 10 cm2. The flux was 0.0035 -0.0075 kg/m2/hr, and
the separation factor was 1300 -2200. Chovaua et al. [96] examined the effect of vacuum pressure on the performance factors
in the pervaporative removal of toluene from water utilising polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes, zeolite silicalite
(CBV) 3002-filled PDMS, dense styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), and porous SBS membranes. Under 25°C, with an active
area of 8.81 cm2. Table 1 shows the results (5).
Panek and Konieczny [97] used polyether-block amide (PEBA) membrane and polyether-block amide (PEBA)+ carbon
black at 25°C, 100 Pa, 500 ppm concentration, 1.77 l/min flow rate, and 100 cm2 active area. The separation factor for the
polyether-block amide (PEBA) membrane was 1500 and the flux was 0.0132 kg/m2.hr. The flux for polyether-block amide
(PEBA)+ carbon black was 0.01614 kg/m2/hr, with a separation factor of 900. Panek and Konieczny [98] used
polydimethylsiloxan (PDMS) with carbon block (cb) under the same conditions as above, with a flux of 0.01732 kg/m2.hr and
a separation factor of 300, and (PDMS) alone, with a flux of 0.01827 kg/m2.hr and a separation factor of 160. Nijhuis et al.[99]
kept separate the toluene-water solution using only a polydimethylsiloxan (PDMS) membrane and revealed that the flux of
water decreased as the thickness of the membrane rose, with the flux of water changing from 0.051 to 0.006 kg/m2.hr and the
flux of toluene shifting from 0.020 to 0.013 kg/m2.hr. As a consequence of this practical experience, it became clear that the
flux of toluene is affected less than the flux of water as the thickness of the membrane increases. However, by using ethylene
propylene rubber and polyoctenamer membrane (EPDM), the water flux increased from 0.0009 to 0.00017 kg/m2.hr and the
toluene flux changed from 0.0085 to 0.0035 kg/m2.hr.

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Table 5: Pervaporation process results and conditions for toluene separation from aqueous solution
Flux
Membrane T (°C) Con. Pressure S.F
(kg/m2.h)
PDMS 40 5-25wt% 9-10 mbar 0.675-0.786 29-24
PEBA
80-60
Thickness 25 μm. 0.040-0.070
PEBA
0.037-0.160 85-50
Thickness 25 μm.
PEBA 25 50- 400 1 kpa
0.032- 0.240 65-50
Thickness 25 μm. ppm
PEBA/2 wt.% NaX nanozeolite at
thickness 50 μm. 0.055- 0.150 130-50

PDMS+ 30-50 150-300 1 mbar 0.0035-

1300-2200
PES ppm 0.0075
PDMS 3283
0.220, 0.190,
,4680,
0.160
9921
Zeolite silicalite (CBV) 3002 0.330, 5676,
filled PDMS 25 250 ppm 1,15,40 0.300, 8523,
mbar 0.260 18967
Dense styrene-butadine-styrene 0.570, 5650,
(SBS) 0.560, 7196 ,
0.540 1879
Porous SBS 1.170, 885 ,
1.000, 1571,
0.600 4238
PEBA 25 100pa 0.0192 1500
PEBA+ 500 ppm
0.0164
carbon black 900
PDMS + 25 100pa
Carbon black 500 ppm 0.01732
300
PDMS 0.01827 160

6. Conclusion and future work

Pervaporation is an efficient separation process, particularly when dealing with low concentrations. The PV process is now
widely used across the world, particularly for breaking azeotropes in binary mixtures. It is distinguished by its ease of
installation and low power consumption. The work on the separation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using this
separation process is still in the early stages of development. Overall, pervaporation as a membrane technology is a wise option
for separation, concentration, and purification applications. It is a cost-effective method for separating organic and inorganic
materials, dehydrating polar compounds, and extracting organics from aqueous solutions. Using additional processes as pre- or
post-treatments, on the other hand, is the preferred method (operation) for a given task. Due to the need to dispose of VOC,
particularly benzene and toluene, which are carcinogens and harmful to public health, international membrane manufacturing
companies are working on producing membranes with high flux and separation factors. Furthermore, increasing mechanical
resistance by adding two supporting layers to prevent swelling, which leads to separation failure.

Author contribution
All authors contributed equally to this work.
Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.
Conflicts of interest
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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