Antimicrobial Properties of Nanofiber Membrane and Commercial Micromembrane by Modification with Diethylenetriamine (DETA) and Attachment of Silver Nanoparticles

Water demand is steadily increasing, and usable water supply is constantly decreasing. It is urgent to find a cheap and efficient way to recycle water. Currently, membrane technologies are getting promising results, but some factors drastically reduce their effectiveness. In membrane filtration, biofouling is one of the most limiting factors, reducing filtration efficiency. In this work, the micro- and nanofibres-composed membranes were modified with diethylenetriamine (DETA), and silver nanoparticles were attached to a modified surface to minimize biofouling risk during filtration. Different conditions were tested for reaction with DETA and attachment of nanoparticles. Antimicrobial tests were performed, and the leaching of nanoparticles over time was checked. The modified membranes (Nadir® MV020T and PA PVDF) containing silver nanoparticles ranging in size from 20 to 50 nm showed antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli in the form of 3–4 mm inhibitory zones. The percentage of released AgNPs was 0.47% and 2.12% for Nadir® MV020T and PA PVDF membrane after 21 days, respectively. Polyvinylpyrrolidone was used to increase the stability of the nanoparticles, and the results were compared.