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Nanofiltration and tight ultrafiltration membranes for natural organic matter removal-contribution of fouling and concentration polarization to filtration resistance

Joerg Winter, Benoit Barbeau, Pierre Bérubé

Article (2017)

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Abstract

Nanofiltration (NF) and tight ultrafiltration (tight UF) membranes are a viable treatment option for high quality drinking water production from sources with high concentrations of contaminants. To date, there is limited knowledge regarding the contribution of concentration polarization (CP) and fouling to the increase in resistance during filtration of natural organic matter (NOM) with NF and tight UF. Filtration tests were conducted with NF and tight UF membranes with molecular weight cut offs (MWCOs) of 300, 2000 and 8000 Da, and model raw waters containing different constituents of NOM. When filtering model raw waters containing high concentrations of polysaccharides (i.e., higher molecular weight NOM), the increase in resistance was dominated by fouling. When filtering model raw waters containing humic substances (i.e., lower molecular weight NOM), the increase in filtration resistance was dominated by CP. The results indicate that low MWCO membranes are better suited for NOM removal, because most of the NOM in surface waters consist mainly of humic substances, which were only effectively rejected by the lower MWCO membranes. However, when humic substances are effectively rejected, CP can become extensive, leading to a significant increase in filtration resistance by the formation of a cake/gel layer at the membrane surface. For this reason, cross-flow operation, which reduces CP, is recommended.

Uncontrolled Keywords

concentration polarization; fouling; nanofiltration; natural organic matter; tight ultrafiltration

Subjects: 1800 Chemical engineering > 1806 Separation processes
6100 Food science and technology > 6101 Food chemistry and analysis
6100 Food science and technology > 6103 Food processing, packaging, preservation and storage
Department: Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering
Funders: IC-Impacts
PolyPublie URL: https://publications.polymtl.ca/3598/
Journal Title: Membranes (vol. 7, no. 3)
Publisher: MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/membranes7030034
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes7030034
Date Deposited: 09 Mar 2020 16:10
Last Modified: 11 Nov 2022 14:28
Cite in APA 7: Winter, J., Barbeau, B., & Bérubé, P. (2017). Nanofiltration and tight ultrafiltration membranes for natural organic matter removal-contribution of fouling and concentration polarization to filtration resistance. Membranes, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes7030034

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