Harnessing sporopollenin-based polymer membranes: an exploratory study on ciprofloxacin removal

Abstract This study investigates the removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP) antibiotic from an aqueous environment using sporopollenin-based polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs). Traditional wastewater treatments are often ineffective against CIP due to its persistence and environmental impact. To address this, PIMs were developed using poly(vinyl)chloride (PVC) as the base polymer, dioctyl phthalate (DOP) as the plasticizer, and sporopollenin known for its chemical stability and functional versatility as the carrier. The membranes were characterized through FTIR, SEM and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which confirmed the successful integration of membrane components and highlighted the structural stability of the PIMs. The optimal membrane, comprising a 70:30 PVC to DOP ratio with 5 mL of 5 mg mL −1 sporopollenin, achieved 80.93 % removal of CIP after 25 h in batch studies. Further investigation shows that the initial concentration of CIP influenced removal efficiency, with higher concentrations leading to reduced performance due to active site saturation. These results demonstrate the potential of sporopollenin-based PIMs as a sustainable and selective solution for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. This study provides foundational insights into the use of natural carriers like sporopollenin in membrane technology and sets the stage for future work towards enhancing membrane capacity, improving extraction rates, and scaling up for industrial applications.