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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Three-Dimensionally Printed Microfluidic Cross-flow System for Ultrafiltration/Nanofiltration Membrane Performance Testing
Published on: February 13, 2016
Electrostatic repulsion as a mechanism in fouling of ultrafiltration membranes
Elizabeth Arkhangelsky1, Inna Levitsky, Vitaly Gitis
1Unit of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Abstract:
Studies of electrostatic repulsion in ultrafiltration membranes are limited to applications of different organic compounds carrying a set of unique characteristics, or to changes of general water parameters such as ionic strength and pH. The proposed method of deliberate alteration of surface charge of organic molecule by succinylation or by guanidination provides an opportunity to selectively investigate the electrostatic mechanism without changing size or hydrophobic properties of investigated molecule. The approach was successfully implemented on BSA protein, and new inside into the mechanism of electrostatic mechanism was obtained. The electrostatic repulsion becomes important when zeta potential of the protein exceeded 20 mV, when before the threshold the interactions were mainly governed by size exclusion.
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