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Pharmaceutical rejection by membranes for wastewater reclamation and reuse

G Y Park1, J H Lee, I S Kim

  • 1Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, K-JIST, Korea.

Water Science and Technology : a Journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research
|September 4, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes effectively remove ibuprofen, a pharmaceutical compound, from water. However, effluent organic matter (EfOM) from membrane bioreactors (MBRs) can reduce UF membrane efficiency in removing ibuprofen.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Water Treatment Technologies
  • Membrane Science

Background:

  • Pharmaceutical compounds like ibuprofen pose risks in water reuse.
  • Effluent organic matter (EfOM) from membrane bioreactors (MBRs) can form carcinogenic by-products.
  • Effective removal of pharmaceuticals and EfOM is crucial for safe water reuse.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the rejection of ibuprofen and removal of EfOM by various membranes.
  • To evaluate the impact of EfOM on ibuprofen removal by UF membranes.
  • To assess membrane performance under equivalent hydrodynamic conditions using the J0/k ratio.

Main Methods:

  • Tested various membranes (UF, NF) with different materials and MWCOs.
  • Measured ibuprofen and EfOM rejection.
  • Utilized the J0/k ratio for hydrodynamic comparison.
  • Analyzed EfOM characteristics (SUVA).

Main Results:

  • A tight-UF membrane (8,000 MWCO) achieved 95% ibuprofen removal in clean water.
  • EfOM presence reduced ibuprofen removal efficiency for UF membranes.
  • UF membranes rejected 29-47% of EfOM, while NF membranes rejected 69-86%.
  • UF membranes were less effective at removing ibuprofen when hydrophilic EfOM was present.

Conclusions:

  • UF membranes show potential for ibuprofen removal, but EfOM interference is a concern.
  • Membrane selection and operating conditions (J0/k ratio) are critical for effective pharmaceutical removal.
  • NF membranes demonstrate higher potential for EfOM rejection compared to UF membranes.

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