Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of MSNs/PS nanocomposite membranes for effective removal of Cd and Pb ions from aqueous solutions.

Contamination of heavy metal (Cd & Pb) ions in drinking water is producing major impacts on the environment and public health and is considered one of the greatest dangers to humanity. Membrane technology has been chosen over other processing methods due to its simplicity and high capacity for more effective removal of hazardous heavy metals. In the current study, amine, thiol, and bi-thiol functional groups were used to functionalize mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) to improve the efficiency of the silica nanoparticle.