Abstract Firstly, this work shows the crosslinking of the Polyurethane/Single Wall Carbon Nanotube/ Polymethyl Methacrylate (PU/SWCNT/PMMA) nanocomposite at 298.15K using the PM3 semi-empirical method (Parameterized Model number 3), where the reaction was spontaneous and endothermic. The log P indicated a hydrophobic character. Subsequently, the Monte Carlo simulation was carried out at 303.15, 313.15 and 323.15K, where the Gibbs free energy and the dipole moment increased. However, the reactions were spontaneous and endothermic. The log P had hydrophobic character. Additionally, the entropy decreased due to the increase in intermolecular forces in the nanocomposite. Furthermore, FTIR analysis had similar vibrational frequencies, which was verified with the electronic distribution. Thus, this nanocomposite would have excellent physical and thermal stability, and it does not have reactions to polar solvents such as water so that it could be used in the human body.

The tangential filtration process with effluent membranes was evaluated for the recovery of water for reuse in industrial activities. The membranes were previously treated using biological methods in the experimental plant at the Inter-American Center for Water Resources (ICWR). The most notable effluent characteristics included high turbidity, the presence of two synthetic food dyes-blue brilliant and tartrazine-which were responsible for several green water curtains, and the presence of salts and organic matter with DQO values considered high for the reuse of water. During the evaluation of the filtration process, two ceramic membranes with a cut-off of 150 and 15 kDa and two polymeric hollow fiber membranes with a cut-off of 50 and 13 kDa were tested; these were individually incorporated into pilot-scale filtration equipment. Each process determined the effect of the transmembrane pressure, the water flux velocity and the characteristics of the membranes with the obtained filtered water flux and water quality. The results of the filtration of the effluent from the ICWR showed that the 15 kDa and 13 kDa membranes were the most effective for treating the ICWR effluent in terms of obtaining the water quality parameters needed to clean industrial equipment and supply water to boilers. Nevertheless, the water flux recovered from the effluent was greater with the 13 kDa membrane, reaching 35 Lh-1m-2 during 120 minutes. The most stable membrane was the 15 kDa, which recovered 28 Lh-1m-2 of water during 190 minutes with no polarization problems.

Para recuperar agua de reúso en actividades industriales, se evaluó el proceso de filtración tangencial con membranas de efluentes previamente tratados por métodos biológicos en la planta experimental del Centro Interamericano de Recursos del Agua (CIRA). Entre las características del efluente destacan una alta turbiedad, la presencia de dos colorantes sintéticos de uso alimenticio, azul brillante y tartrazina, que son causantes de varias cortinas de coloración verde, además del contenido de sales y materia orgánica con valores de DQO aún altos para considerar el reúso del agua. En la evaluación del proceso de filtración fueron probadas dos membranas cerámicas con umbral de corte de 150 y 15 kDa, y dos poliméricas de fibra hueca con 50 y 13 kDa, integradas individualmente a un equipo de filtración a escala piloto. En cada proceso se determinó el efecto de la presión transmembrana, la velocidad de flujo de agua y las características de la membrana sobre los caudales de agua filtrada y la calidad obtenida. Los resultados mostraron que las membranas de 15 y 13 kDa fueron las más eficientes en el tratamiento del efluente del CIRA para obtener parámetros de calidad en el agua requeridos para actividades industriales de limpieza de equipos y suministro de agua a calderas. Sin embargo, el flujo de agua recuperada del efluente fue mayor en la membrana de 13 kDa, alcanzando 35 Lh-1m-2 de flujo de agua permeada durante 120 minutos. Mientras que la membrana más estable fue la de 15 kDa, recuperando 28 Lh-1m-2 de agua durante 190 minutos, sin problemas de polarización.