Kinetic control concept for the diffusion processes of paracetamol active molecules across affinity polymer membranes from acidic solutions

BACKGROUND: Paracetamol compound remains the most used pharmaceutical as an analgesic and antipyretic for pain and fever, often identified in aquatic environments. The elimination of this compound from wastewater is one of the critical operations carried out by advanced industries. Our work objective was to assess studies based on membrane processes by using two membranes, polymer inclusion membrane and grafted polymer membrane containing gluconic acid as an extractive agent for extracting and recovering paracetamol compound from aqueous solutions. RESULT: The elaborated membrane characterizations were assessed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Kinetic and thermodynamic models have been applied to determine the values of macroscopic (P and J(0)), microscopic (D* and K(ass)), activation and thermodynamic parameters (E(a), ΔH(#), ΔS(#), ΔH(#)(diss), and ΔH(#)(th)). All results showed that the PVA–GA was more performant than its counterpart GPM–GA, with apparent diffusion coefficient values (10(7) D*) of 41.807 and 31.211 cm(2) s(−1) respectively, at T = 308 K. In addition, the extraction process for these membranes was more efficient at pH = 1. The relatively low values of activation energy (Ea), activation association enthalpy (ΔH(≠)(ass)), and activation dissociation enthalpy (ΔH(≠)(diss)) have indicated a kinetic control for the oriented processes studied across the adopted membranes much more than the energetic counterpart. CONCLUSION: The results presented for the quantification of oriented membrane process ensured clean, sustainable, and environmentally friendly methods for the extraction and recovery of paracetamol molecule as a high-value substance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13065-021-00794-7.