Ceramic nanocomposite membranes and membrane fouling: A review

In this study, we report the impact of the magnetic field on protein permeability through magnetic-responsive, block copolymer, nanocomposite membranes with hydrophilic and hydrophobic characters. The hydrophilic nanocomposite membranes were composed of spherical polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized through polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) with iron oxide NPs coated with quaternized poly(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate. The hydrophobic nanocomposite membranes were prepared via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) containing poly (methacrylic acid) and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid-coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPNPs). The permeation experiments were carried out using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the model solute, in the absence of the magnetic field and under permanent and cyclic magnetic field conditions OFF/ON (strategy 1) and ON/OFF (strategy 2). It was observed that the magnetic field led to a lower reduction in the permeate fluxes of magnetic-responsive membranes during BSA permeation, regardless of the magnetic field strategy used, than that obtained in the absence of the magnetic field. Nevertheless, a comparative analysis of the effect caused by the two cyclic magnetic field strategies showed that strategy 2 allowed for a lower reduction of the original permeate fluxes during BSA permeation and higher protein sieving coefficients. Overall, these novel magneto-responsive block copolymer nanocomposite membranes proved to be competent in mitigating biofouling phenomena in bioseparation processes.

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Applied Research in Membrane Fouling in the Membrane Bioreactor Systems with Large-scale Equipment

Environment and Resource ◽

10.35534/er.0101001 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Kong Linghan ◽

Zhao Weidian ◽

Ran Deqin ◽

Hui Bing ◽

Lu Linguo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Membrane Fouling ◽

Large Scale ◽

Membrane Bioreactor ◽

Applied Research

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Coagulation/flocculation/ultrafiltration for natural organic matter removal in drinking water production

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2004.0111 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 4 (5-6) ◽

pp. 215-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A.R. Costa ◽

M.N. de Pinho

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Organic Matter ◽

Natural Organic Matter ◽

Membrane Fouling ◽

Membrane Filtration ◽

Membrane Surface ◽

Water Production ◽

Cellulose Acetate Membranes ◽

Wide Range ◽

Drinking Water Production

Membrane fouling by natural organic matter (NOM), namely by humic substances (HS), is a major problem in water treatment for drinking water production using membrane processes. Membrane fouling is dependent on membrane morphology like pore size and on water characteristics namely NOM nature. This work addresses the evaluation of the efficiency of ultrafiltration (UF) and Coagulation/Flocculation/UF performance in terms of permeation fluxes and HS removal, of the water from Tagus River (Valada). The operation of coagulation with chitosan was evaluated as a pretreatment for minimization of membrane fouling. UF experiments were carried out in flat cells of 13.2×10−4 m2 of membrane surface area and at transmembrane pressures from 1 to 4 bar. Five cellulose acetate membranes were laboratory made to cover a wide range of molecular weight cut-off (MWCO): 2,300, 11,000, 28,000, 60,000 and 75,000 Da. Severe fouling is observed for the membranes with the highest cut-off. In the permeation experiments of raw water, coagulation prior to membrane filtration led to a significant improvement of the permeation performance of the membranes with the highest MWCO due to the particles and colloidal matter removal.

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A rapid small scale evaluation of ultrafiltration performance for surface water treatment at Alcantarilha's water treatment works (Algarve, Portugal)

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2004.0109 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 4 (5-6) ◽

pp. 199-206

Author(s):

M. Ribau Teixeira ◽

H. Lucas ◽

M.J. Rosa

Keyword(s):

Water Treatment ◽

Membrane Fouling ◽

Conventional Treatment ◽

Apparent Molecular Weight ◽

Small Scale ◽

Hydraulic Permeability ◽

Scale Evaluation ◽

Surface Water Treatment ◽

Drinking Water Production ◽

Pre Treatment

A rapid small-scale evaluation of ultrafiltration (UF) performance with and without physical–chemical pre-treatment was performed to up-grade the conventional treatment used for drinking water production in Alcantarilha's water treatment works, Algarve, Portugal. Direct UF and pre-ozonation/coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation/UF (O/C/F/S/UF) were evaluated using polysulphone membranes of different apparent molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) (15–47 kDa). The results indicated that (i) UF is an effective barrier against microorganisms, including virus larger than 80 nm; (ii) for surface waters with low to moderate SUVA values, direct UF performance is equivalent or better than the conventional treatment in terms of residual turbidity, while UV254 nm and TOC residuals require the use of O/C/F/S/UF; (iii) the permeate quality improves with the membrane apparent MWCO decrease, especially for the direct UF, although the conventional treatment performance is never reached using UF; (iv) membrane fouling and adsorption phenomena are more severe in direct UF than in O/C/F/S/UF sequence (pre-ozonation decreases the membrane foulants by decreasing their hydrophobicity) and these phenomena increase with the membrane hydraulic permeability and, particularly, with the membrane apparent MWCO.

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Removal of Residual Nutrients and Chemical Additives From Secondary Sewage by Reverse osmosis

Water Quality Research Journal ◽

10.2166/wqrj.1975.012 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 101-109

Author(s):

H. Kirk Johnston ◽

H.S. Lim

Keyword(s):

Reverse Osmosis ◽

Membrane Fouling ◽

Pilot Plant ◽

Waste Treatment ◽

Iron Chloride ◽

Treatment Technique ◽

Chemical Additives ◽

Cellulose Acetate Membranes ◽

Municipal Wastewaters ◽

Nutrient Solutions

Abstract The suitability of reverse osmosis as a renovation technique for the treatment of municipal wastewaters has been assessed. Cellulose acetate membranes capable of 70% and 90% NaCl rejections were employed in both laboratory and pilot plant studies to evaluate the efficiency of this technique in removing the residual precipitant chemicals generally employed in phosphorus removal programs (iron chloride, alum, and lime) and the nutrients (phosphates, nitrates and ammonia) characteristic of municipal wastewaters. Secondary sewage and raw sewage as well as prepared nutrient solutions were employed in the course of this program. Both laboratory and pilot plant studies indicated consistently outstanding removal efficiencies for the species examined, almost independent of the nature of the waste solutions being treated. Permeation of the purified effluent was subject to significant reductions due to membrane fouling. This characteristic was most pronounced for the more permeable (less selective) membranes. Routine chemical and physical cleanings enable satisfactory flux levels to be maintained, thereby suggesting that reverse osmosis may become a viable municipal waste treatment technique.

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