Removal of natural organic matter by cationic and anionic polyacrylonitrile membranes. The effect of pressure, ionic strength and pH

Phanerochaete chrysosporium was shown to rapidly decolorise a solution of natural organic matter (NOM). The effect of various parameters such as carbon and nitrogen content, pH, ionic strength, NOM concentration and addition of Mn2+ on the colour removal process was investigated. The rapid decolorisation was related to fungal growth and biosorption rather than biodegradation as neither carbon nor nitrogen limitation, nor Mn2+ addition, triggered the decolorisation process. Low pH (pH 3) and increased ionic strength (up to 50 g L‒1 added NaCl) led to greater specific removal (NOM/unit biomass), probably due to increased electrostatic bonding between the humic material and the biomass. Adsorption of NOM with viable and inactivated (autoclaved or by sodium azide) fungal pellets occurred within 24 hours and the colour removal depended on the viability, method of inactivation and pH. Colour removal by viable pellets was higher under the same conditions, and this, combined with desorption data, confirmed that fungal metabolic activity was important in the decolorisation process. Overall, removals of up to 40–50% NOM from solution were obtained. Of this, removal by adsorption was estimated as 60–70%, half of which was physicochemical, the other half metabolically-dependent biosorption and bioaccumulation. The remainder was considered to be removed by biodegradation, although some of this may be ascribed to bioaccumulation and metabolically-dependent biosorption.

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Transport characterizations of natural organic matter in ion-exchange membrane for water treatment

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2002.0202 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 2 (5-6) ◽

pp. 445-450 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

D.H. Kim ◽

S.-H. Moon ◽

J. Cho

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Ionic Strength ◽

Ion Exchange ◽

Natural Organic Matter ◽

Membrane Surface ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Organic Fouling ◽

Adsorbed Mass ◽

Pass Through ◽

Exchange Membrane

A series of adsorption experiments were performed to investigate the factors affecting the transport of natural organic matter (NOM) in an ion-exchange (IX) membrane. In this study, the structure of the NOM was hypothesized to be an important factor in terms of the organic fouling of IX membrane. It was found that the adsorbed mass of hydrophobic NOM constituent on the membrane surface was higher than that of either the hydrophilic or transphilic NOM constituent. NOM adsorption was seriously affected by the apparent charge of the NOM. As the apparent charge increased, NOM adsorption also significantly increased. Moreover, the molecular mass of the hydrophobic NOM acids was too high to enable them to pass through the IX membrane, and this caused an accumulated adsorption of solutes on the membrane surface, i.e. NOM fouling. In addition, both pH and ionic strength affected NOM adsorption on the surface of the IX membrane. Lower NOM adsorption resulted from a lower pH and a higher ionic strength.

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