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Pretreatment for membrane water treatment systems: a laboratory study
Christopher F Wend1, Philip S Stewart, Warren Jones
1Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, PO Box 999, MSIN: K7-94, Richland, WA 99352, USA.
Water Research
|July 2, 2003
Summary
Biological treatment effectively reduces membrane fouling in water purification by removing humic substances. This method lowers fouling layer thickness and cell counts, offering a sustainable alternative to harsh chemical pretreatments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Water Treatment Engineering
- Microbiology
Background:
- Humic substances in water contribute to membrane fouling, reducing the efficiency of water treatment processes.
- Current pretreatment methods often involve chemical disinfection, which can have environmental drawbacks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of biological treatment in mitigating membrane fouling caused by humic substances.
- To compare the performance of biologically active carbon and iron oxide coated sand filters.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory-scale biological filters were used with humic-laden water.
- Water was treated with or without prechlorination and then subjected to microfiltration.
- Fouling potential was assessed using total organic carbon removal, cell counts, fouling layer thickness, and flux reduction.
Main Results:
- Biological treatment significantly reduced membrane fouling compared to controls.
- Fouling layer thickness was halved, and cell counts decreased four- to five-fold.
- Combined biological treatment and microfiltration yielded the best results; prechlorination had no significant impact.
Conclusions:
- Biological treatment is a viable strategy for reducing membrane fouling in water treatment.
- This approach can decrease reliance on chemical disinfectants during pretreatment.
- Integrating biological treatment with microfiltration offers superior fouling control.