Ceramic Membrane Ultrafiltration for Biogenic Elemental Sulfur Recovery: Performance Optimization and Fouling...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Water Treatment Technologies
• Separation Science

Background:

• Mining wastewater contains sulfate, necessitating treatment to prevent environmental pollution.
• Biological sulfate reduction produces elemental sulfur, requiring efficient separation for recovery and water reuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate ceramic membrane ultrafiltration for elemental sulfur separation from biogenic wastewater.
• To determine optimal membrane characteristics and operating conditions for sulfur removal and fouling mitigation.

Main Methods:

• Tested 50-, 150-, and 300-kDa ceramic membranes under varied transmembrane pressure and crossflow velocity.
• Analyzed sulfur rejection, normalized flux, and fouling behavior using response-surface and Hermia analyses.
• Assessed membrane performance through cyclic filtration and cleaning.

Main Results:

• High sulfur rejection (95.9%-98.1%) was achieved across all tested membranes.
• Hydraulic performance was dominated by membrane fouling, with normalized flux declining significantly.
• The 50-kDa membrane demonstrated the optimal balance between sulfur rejection and fouling resistance.
• Cyclic filtration and cleaning showed partial flux reversibility, with recovery up to 107.5%.

Conclusions:

• Ceramic membrane ultrafiltration is a viable technology for biogenic sulfur separation from mining wastewater.
• The 50-kDa membrane is recommended for balancing separation efficiency and operational sustainability.
• Understanding and managing fouling is critical for designing effective long-term membrane processes.