Page 54 - IPCoSME 2021

1 INTERNATIONAL POSTGRADUATE CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND MARINE ENVIRONMENT 2021
st
(IPCoSME 2021)
“Environmental Sustainability Enhancement Through the Collaboration of Sciences”

RE-09

POLYMERIC FUNCTIONAL MEMBRANES FOR TOTAL ALKALINITY
MEASUREMENT: PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

1
1*
MARIANI AHMAD , AZRILAWANI AHMAD
1 Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala
Nerus, Terengganu

*Corresponding author email: azrilawani.ahmad@umt.edu.my

Abstract: Total alkalinity is one of the important parameter in the regulation of seawater
carbonate chemistry system in determine the capacity of water to neutralize acid. However,
the measurement of total alkalinity using standard titration method is limited and time

consuming. Thus, a new approach for total alkalinity determination using the polymeric
functional membrane was developed due to its excellent chemical properties. The system is

based on two key elements which are proton pump and pH probe membranes that were
synthesized with selective ionophore, plasticizer, additives, porous membrane and appropriate
solvent. The surface morphology of the membranes were thoroughly studied using Scanning

Electron Microscope (SEM) at certain magnification, and it showed that the pH probe
membrane showed a line-like surface with less porous structure, while proton pump membrane

showed the presence of crater-like structure. The absorption of membranes were studied using
Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) region. The pH probe membrane has higher absorbance reading
compared to proton pump membrane and the peak appeared in the region of 533 nm. The

functional group of the membranes were analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared
Spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the constituent of the blends samples. Both membranes

showed almost similar FTIR spectra, indicates the functional group of the material composition
of membrane at the same wavenumber. The electrochemical behaviour of membranes were

evaluated by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) using Glassy Carbon (GC) electrode in potassium
ferricyanide electrolyte, with potential range of -0.2 V to +0.8 V. The voltammogram of proton

pump membrane has higher current reading compared to the pH probe membrane. Based on
the findings for preparation of membranes, it showed that both of the membranes can be
potentially use for the combined selective proton pump and pH probe membrane as it showed

excellent properties of membranes.

Keywords: total alkalinity, pH probe membrane, proton pump membrane, electrochemical cell

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