Novel insights into membrane fouling in a membrane bioreactor: Elucidating interfacial interactions with real membrane surface

Bimetallic Organic Gel for Effective Methyl Orange Dye Adsorption

A bimetallic organic gel (MOG-Fe/Al) was synthesized through the solvothermal method. The gel state of the product obtained under optimized gel formation conditions is sufficient to carry 2 g of weight for a long time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed the structures and morphologies of the synthesized materials. MOG-Fe/Al, with good stability, excellent durability, and wide applicability, exhibited efficient MO adsorption capacity as high as 335.88 mg/g at 25 °C. Adsorption-influencing factors including solution pH, contact time, and temperature were investigated. The adsorption performance of the bimetallic organic gel was better than that of the monometallic organic gels (MOG-Fe and MOG-Al), and its adsorption processes were in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isothermal models. The excellent adsorption capacity of the MOG-Fe/Al is due to its surface structure, pore volume, π-π interactions, hydrogen bonds, and electrostatic interactions.

Quantifying interfacial interactions for improved membrane antifouling: A novel approach using triangulation and surface element integration method

To gain a thorough understanding of interfacial behaviors such as adhesion and flocculation controlling membrane fouling, it is necessary to simulate the actual membrane surface morphology and quantify interfacial interactions. In this work, a new method integrating the rough membrane morphology reconstruction technology (atomic force microscopy (AFM) combining with triangulation technique), the surface element integration (SEI) method, the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory, the compound Simpson's approach, and the computer programming was proposed. This new method can exactly mimic the real membrane surface in terms of roughness and shape, breaking the limitation of previous fractal theory and Gaussian method where the simulated membrane surface is only statistically similar to the real rough surface, thus achieving a precise description of the interfacial interactions between sludge foulants and the real membrane surface. This method was then applied to assess the antifouling propensity of a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane modified with Ni-ZnO particles (NZPs). The simulated results showed that the interfacial interactions between sludge foulants in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and the modified PVDF-NZPs membrane transformed from an attractive force to a repulsive force. The phenomenon confirmed the significant antifouling propensity of the PVDF-NZPs membrane, which is highly consistent with the experimental findings and the interfacial interactions described in previous literature, suggesting the high feasibility and reliability of the proposed method. Meanwhile, the original programming code of the quantification was also developed, which further facilitates the widespread use of this method and enhances the value of this work.

A Review on Membrane Fouling Prediction Using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs)

Membrane fouling is a major hurdle to effective pressure-driven membrane processes, such as microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO). Fouling refers to the accumulation of particles, organic and inorganic matter, and microbial cells on the membrane's external and internal surface, which reduces the permeate flux and increases the needed transmembrane pressure. Various factors affect membrane fouling, including feed water quality, membrane characteristics, operating conditions, and cleaning protocols. Several models have been developed to predict membrane fouling in pressure-driven processes. These models can be divided into traditional empirical, mechanistic, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based models. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are powerful tools for nonlinear mapping and prediction, and they can capture complex relationships between input and output variables. In membrane fouling prediction, ANNs can be trained using historical data to predict the fouling rate or other fouling-related parameters based on the process parameters. This review addresses the pertinent literature about using ANNs for membrane fouling prediction. Specifically, complementing other existing reviews that focus on mathematical models or broad AI-based simulations, the present review focuses on the use of AI-based fouling prediction models, namely, artificial neural networks (ANNs) and their derivatives, to provide deeper insights into the strengths, weaknesses, potential, and areas of improvement associated with such models for membrane fouling prediction.

Strategic analysis on development of simultaneous adsorption and catalytic biodegradation over advanced bio-carriers for zero-liquid discharge of industrial wastewater

With rapid industrial development, millions of tons of industrial wastewater are produced that contain highly toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic compounds. These compounds may consist of high concentration of refractory organics with plentiful carbon and nitrogen. To date, a substantial proportion of industrial wastewater is discharged directly to precious water bodies due to the high operational costs associated with selective treatment methods. For example, many existing treatment processes rely on activated sludge-based treatments that only target readily available carbon using conventional microbes, with limited capacity for nitrogen and other nutrient removal. Therefore, an additional set-up is often required in the treatment chain to address residual nitrogen, but even after treatment, refractory organics persist in the effluents due to their low biodegradability. With the advancements in nanotechnology and biotechnology, novel processes such as adsorption and biodegradation have been developed, and one promising approach is integration of adsorption and biodegradation over porous substrates (bio-carriers). Regardless of recent focus in a few applied researches, the process assessment and critical analysis of this approach is still missing, and it highlights the urgency and importance of this review. This review paper discussed the development of the simultaneous adsorption and catalytic biodegradation (SACB) over a bio-carrier for the sustainable treatment of refractory organics. It provides insights into the physico-chemical characteristics of the bio-carrier, the development mechanism of SACB, stabilization techniques, and process optimization strategies. Furthermore, the most efficient treatment chain is proposed, and its technical aspects are critically analysed based on updated research. It is anticipated that this review will contribute to the knowledge of academia and industrialist for sustainable upgradation of existing industrial wastewater treatment plants.

Aliquots of MIL-140 and Graphene in Smart PNIPAM Mixed Hydrogels: A Nanoenvironment for a More Eco-Friendly Treatment of NaCl and Humic Acid Mixtures by Membrane Distillation

The problem of water scarcity is already serious and risks becoming dramatic in terms of human health as well as environmental safety. Recovery of freshwater by means of eco-friendly technologies is an urgent matter. Membrane distillation (MD) is an accredited green operation for water purification, but a viable and sustainable solution to the problem needs to be concerned with every step of the process, including managed amounts of materials, membrane fabrication procedures, and cleaning practices. Once it is established that MD technology is sustainable, a good strategy would also be concerned with the choice of managing low amounts of functional materials for membrane manufacturing. These materials are to be rearranged in interfaces so as to generate nanoenvironments wherein local events, conceived to be crucial for the success and sustainability of the separation, can take place without endangering the ecosystem. In this work, discrete and random supramolecular complexes based on smart poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) mixed hydrogels with aliquots of ZrO(O₂C-C₁₀H₆-CO₂) (MIL-140) and graphene have been produced on a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sublayer and have been proven to enhance the performance of PVDF membranes for MD operations. Two-dimensional materials have been adhered to the membrane surface through combined wet solvent (WS) and layer-by-layer (LbL) spray deposition without requiring further subnanometer-scale size adjustment. The creation of a dual responsive nanoenvironment has enabled the cooperative events needed for water purification. According to the MD's rules, a permanent hydrophobic state of the hydrogels together with a great ability of 2D materials to assist water vapor diffusion through the membranes has been targeted. The chance to switch the density of charge at the membrane-aqueous solution interface has further allowed for the choice of greener and more efficient self-cleaning procedures with a full recovery of the permeation properties of the engineered membranes. The experimental evidence of this work confirms the suitability of the proposed approach to obtain distinct effects on a future production of reusable water from hypersaline streams under somewhat soft working conditions and in full respect to environmental sustainability.

Nanofiltration Treatment of Industrial Wastewater Doped with Organic Dye: A Study of Hydrodynamics and Specific Energy

This study was conducted to eliminate the ions and molecules present in the industrial wastewater received by the municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of Reghaia, which is located east of Algiers, Algeria. The process was developed for two different study matrices: (a) the wastewater from WWTP and (b) wastewater mixed with Brilliant Blue FCF (BBF) dye to show the influence of the strength of the ionic solution on the treatment. The most effective operating parameters were determined by assessing the residence time distribution applied to the reactor flow regime. Energy analysis showed the viability of a nanofiltration membrane, improving the permeate flux. The nanofiltration process consumed 1.94 kWh/m3 to reduce the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 63.58% and 48.35% for raw wastewater and doped BBF wastewater, respectively. The results demonstrated that nanofiltration performance with a volume dilution ratio of 1/2 showed the reduction of the COD of 87.2% after 15 min for undoped wastewater, whereas the retention rate decreases to 64% with an increase of dilution ratio to 4/5 for the same water matrix. The influence of a pH of 5 has a significant influence on the composition of the wastewater matrix by the reduction of COD of 49.8% and 59.68% for doped wastewater and raw wastewater, respectively. This could be explained by the isolated points of the membrane in the order of 4.5.

Low-cost ceramic membrane bioreactor: Effect of backwashing, relaxation and aeration on fouling. Protozoa and bacteria removal

Membrane biological reactors (MBR) constitute an alternative to conventional wastewater treatments for improved recovery, reuse, and recycling of water. MBRs have a smaller footprint, provide better biotreatment and achieve a high-quality effluent. This work analyses the use of MBRs innovative low-cost ceramic membranes for wastewater treatment. We propose low-cost ceramic membranes as an alternative to the more expensive commercial ceramic membranes. Low-cost membranes were made of clay, calcium carbonate, potato starch, almond shell and chamotte. We synthesized two different selective layers, from clay and/or TiO₂. We characterized the membranes (pore diameter and water permeance) and their performance in a laboratory scale MBR. To mitigate membrane fouling and preserve the continued operation along time, the effect of different operating cycles was measured, considering two physical cleaning strategies: relaxation and backwashing. Cycles of 9 min of operation, 30 s of relaxation and 1 min of backwashing provided the lowest fouling rate. We investigated the effect of air scouring on fouling by operating with different air flow rates. Once experimental conditions were optimized, the overall performance of the different ceramic membranes was tested. The membrane with a TiO₂ thin layer provided the best resistance to fouling, as well as a good retention capacity of E. coli, Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts.

Preparation of Ni@UiO-66 incorporated polyethersulfone (PES) membrane by magnetic field assisted strategy to improve permeability and photocatalytic self-cleaning ability

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been considered as promising nanofillers to fabricate mixed matrix membranes for water treatment. However, manipulating distribution of MOFs nanoparticles in the membrane matrix remains a great challenge. In this study, UiO-66 was firstly coated by magnetic Ni via an in-situ reduction reaction, and then incorporated into polyethersulfone (PES) membrane matrix to prepare PES-Ni@UiO-66 membrane. The magnetic Ni allowed to manipulate the distribution of magnetic Ni@UiO-66 in the phase-inversion process by an external magnetic field. The hydrophilic Ni@UiO-66 can be pulled onto membrane surface by the magnetic force, endowing the prepared membrane with rather higher hydrophilicity. The prepared membrane exhibited superior water permeability with a pure water flux of 611.5 ± 19.8 L·m^-2·h^-1 and improved antifouling performance. Moreover, benifiting from photocatalytic activity of the exposed Ni@UiO-66 on membrane surface, the obtained PES-Ni@UiO-66 membrane demonstrated excellent photocatalytic self-cleaning ability with a flux recovery rate (FRR) higher than 95% under UV irradiation. Analyzing by extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory indicated that the improved antifouling performance could be attributed to less attractive or even repulsive interaction between the prepared membrane and pollutants. This work provided valuable guidance for structural regulation and development of high-performance MOFs-based membranes for water treatment.

Artificial intelligence-incorporated membrane fouling prediction for membrane-based processes in the past 20 years: A critical review

Membrane fouling is one of major obstacles in the application of membrane technologies. Accurately predicting or simulating membrane fouling behaviours is of great significance to elucidate the fouling mechanisms and develop effective measures to control fouling. Although mechanistic/mathematical models have been widely used for predicting membrane fouling, they still suffer from low accuracy and poor sensitivity. To overcome the limitations of conventional mathematical models, artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques have been proposed as powerful approaches to predict membrane filtration performance and fouling behaviour. This work aims to present a state-of-the-art review on the advances in AI algorithms (e.g., artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic programming, support vector machines and search algorithms) for prediction of membrane fouling. The working principles of different AI techniques and their applications for prediction of membrane fouling in different membrane-based processes are discussed in detail. Furthermore, comparisons of the inputs, outputs, and accuracy of different AI approaches for membrane fouling prediction have been conducted based on the literature database. Future research efforts are further highlighted for AI-based techniques aiming for a more accurate prediction of membrane fouling and the optimization of the operation in membrane-based processes.

Preparation and Modification of PVDF Membrane and Study on Its Anti-Fouling and Anti-Wetting Properties

Membrane distillation (MD) has unique advantages in the treatment of high-salt wastewater because it can make full use of low-grade heat sources. The high salinity mine water in western mining areas of China is rich in Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42− and HCO3−. In the MD process, the inorganic substances in the feed will cause membrane fouling. At the same time, low surface tension organic substances which could be introduced in the mining process will cause irreversible membrane wetting. To improve the anti-fouling and anti-wetting properties of the membrane, the PVDF omniphobic membrane in this paper was prepared by electrospinning. The water contact angle (WCA) can reach 153°. Direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) was then used for treating high-salinity mine water. The results show that, compared with the unmodified membranes, the flux reduction rate of the omniphobic membrane was reduced by 34% in 20 h, showing good anti-fouling property. More importantly, the omniphobic membrane cannot be wetted easily by the feed containing 0.3 mmol/L SDS. The extended Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (XDLVO) theory was used to analyze the free energy of the interface interaction between the membrane and pollutants, aiming to show that the omniphobic membrane was more difficult to pollute. The result was consistent with the flux variation in the DCMD process, providing an effective basis for explaining the mechanism of membrane fouling and membrane wetting.

A unified thermodynamic fouling mechanism based on forward osmosis membrane unique properties: An asymmetric structure and reverse solute diffusion

Fouling mechanism of the forward osmosis membrane, which was peculiarly featured by the asymmetric membrane structure and reverse solute diffusion, was investigated at the molecular level and from the energy perspective. Two noteworthy fouling behaviors were observed in batch fouling tests conducted in AL-FS mode (active layer facing feed solution) and AL-DS mode (active layer facing draw solution) after filtering foulants with identical volume: 1) after filtering 100 mL of foulants, the flux decline rate in AL-DS mode was 1.78 times faster than that in AL-FS mode, but the flux decline behaviors of the two modes were similar in the subsequent filtration stages; 2) although the foulant layer weight of the same mode increased linearly in middle and late stages, the flux loss rate was distinctly different. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that the attractive interaction energy between the foulants and the support layer was about 5 times higher than that between the foulants and the active layer, well interpreting the higher flux decline rate of AL-DS mode in initial stage. Meanwhile, a non-invasive microscope observed that the structure of the fouling layer remarkably changed from loose to dense in the middle stage, and stabilized in the late stage. Furthermore, quantum chemistry calculation proved that the reverse diffusion of NaCl brought alginate molecular chains closer, whereas the distance between them tended to be constant as the continuous increase of NaCl. Based on these findings, the thermodynamic fouling mechanism proposed by combining the structure change process of the fouling layer with Flory-Huggins lattice theory satisfactorily interpreted the noteworthy fouling behaviors caused by reverse NaCl diffusion in middle and late stages. The revealed fouling mechanism unifies the adhesion and filtration behaviors related to the unique properties of FO membrane, deepening understanding of membrane fouling in the dynamic and complex ternary system of the FO process.

Novel strategy for membrane biofouling control in MBR with CdS/MIL-101 modified PVDF membrane by in situ visible light irradiation

Novel control strategies for membrane biofouling with eco-friendly photocatalytic technology are critically needed in practical operation of membrane bioreactors (MBRs). In this study, a metal-organic frameworks (MOF) based photocatalytic membrane was firstly applied in an anammox MBR for a long-term biofouling control, where bacteria were inactivated and foulants were degraded simultaneously, with environmentally friendly and renewable visible light energy. By physicochemical characterization, the synthesized photocatalyst of CdS/MIL-101 showed superior visible-light photocatalytic ability, and the 1 wt% CdS/MIL-101 modified membrane C2 showed enhanced hydrophilicity and water permeability compared with the pristine membrane C0. In the long-term operation of anammox MBRs under waterproof lights irradiation, the filtration cycles of C2 (25-26 d) were obviously extended compared with C0 (10-14 d), while their average total nitrogen removal efficiencies were comparable up to 84%, indicating an excellent biofouling alleviation effect by using C2 with a satisfactory nitrogen removal performance maintained. By analysis of the biofilm on the fouled membranes, the organic foulants (especially extracellular polymeric substances) were degraded, and the live bacteria were inactivated effectively by the photocatalytic reactions of CdS/MIL-101 on C2. In the antimicrobial tests against model bacteria, C2 exhibited remarkable antimicrobial effect against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with visible light irradiation by destruction of cell integrity with the inhibition rate of 92% for Escherichia coli and 95% for Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. In the model foulants (bovine serum albumin, sodium alginate, and humic acid) filtration tests, C2 showed higher antifouling capabilities, lower flux declining rates, and higher foulants rejection rates under visible light irradiation compared with C0. The reactive species of ·OH, e^- and h⁺ generated on C2 were verified to play the predominant role in the anti-biofouling processes by simultaneous bacteria inactivation and foulants degradation. The findings offer a novel insight into the biofouling controlling in MBRs by simultaneous bacteria inactivation and foulants degradation with an eco-friendly method.

The performance and microbial communities of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor for treating fluctuating 2-chlorophenol wastewater

An anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) was used to treat low to high (5-200 mg/L) concentrations of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) wastewater. The AnMBR achieved high and stable chemical oxygen demand removal and 2-CP removal with an average value of 93.2% and 94.2% under long hydraulic retention times (HRTs, 48-96 h), respectively. 2-CP removal efficiency of 98.6 mg/L/d was achieved with 2-CP concentration of 200 mg/L, which was much higher than that of other anaerobic bioreactors. Furthermore, volatile fatty acids didn't accumulate under high 2-CP loading. Long HRTs significantly reduced the membrane fouling as the fouling rate (0.90 × 10⁹-5.44 × 10⁹ m^-1h^-1) was low. Spirochaetaceae and Methanosaeta were the dominant microbes responsible for dechlorination, methanogenesis, and shock resistance. All these results demonstrate that this AnMBR operated under long HRTs is good and robust for fluctuating chlorophenols wastewater treatment, which has high potential for treating fluctuating refractory organics wastewater with the low membrane fouling rate.

Different fouling propensities of loosely and tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) and the related fouling mechanisms in a membrane bioreactor

In this study, fouling propensities of loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances (LB-EPSs) and tightly bound EPSs (TB-EPSs) in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) were investigated. It was found that, both the LB-EPSs and TB-EPSs possessed rather high specific filtration resistance (SFR), and LB-EPSs possessed about three times higher SFR but a lower adhesion ability than the TB-EPSs. A series of characterizations demonstrated that LB-EPSs had higher ratio of proteins to polysaccharides (PN/PS ratio), lower CO bonds content, higher hydrophilicity, higher deformation or mixing ability and more abundant high molecular weight (MW) substances than TB-EPSs. Thermodynamic analyzes revealed that the total interaction energy between the TB-EPSs and membrane was always attractive and strengthened, well explaining the higher adhesion ability of the TB-EPSs than the LB-EPSs. Meanwhile, the filtration process was found to be associated with gel layer formation, and the high SFR of EPSs was caused by the chemical potential change in gel layer filtration. According to the Flory-Huggins lattice theory, LB-EPSs tended to form a gel layer with higher cross-linking and/or polymer entanglement level because they contained more abundant high molecular weight (MW) substance, corresponding to higher SFR than that of the TB-EPSs. The proposed thermodynamic mechanisms well interpreted the different fouling propensities of LB-EPSs and TB-EPSs in MBRs.

Membrane fouling caused by biological foams in a submerged membrane bioreactor: Mechanism insights

Though sludge foaming often occurs and thus causes serious membrane fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs), the fouling mechanisms related with the foaming phenomenon have not been well addressed, hindering better understanding and solving foaming problem. In this work, it was interestingly found that, the foulants during the foaming period possessed extremely high specific filtration resistance (SFR) (over 10¹⁶ m kg^-1) and strong adhesion ability to membrane surface. Chemical characterization showed that the proteins (178.57 mg/L) and polysaccharides (209.21 mg/L) in the foaming sample were about 6.4 times and 5.4 times of those in the supernatant sample, suggesting existence of a mechanism permitting continuous production of these foulants in the MBR during the foaming period. It was revealed that the fouling caused by foams was associated with gel layer filtration process, and the extremely high SFR can be interpreted by chemical potential change in the gel filtration process depicted in Flory-Huggins theory. Meanwhile, analyses by the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory showed that the strong adhesion ability stemmed from the high interaction energy between the foaming foulants and membrane surface. In addition, 16S rDNA gene sequencing identified that the abundance of the foaming related bacteria species in the sludge suspension during the foaming period was more than 10 times of that during the non-foaming period. This study offered new mechanism insights into foaming fouling in MBRs.

Inkjet printing assisted fabrication of polyphenol-based coating membranes for oil/water separation

While polyphenol-based coating has been regarded as a promising alternative to functionalize membrane surface, it usually suffers from problems of low-efficient procedure and low utilization rate of the polyphenolic compounds, hindering its large-scale implementations. To solve these problems, this study provided a first report on inkjet printing of polyphenols (catechol (CA) or tannic acid (TA)) and sodium periodate (SP) on a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane to improve membrane performance. A series of analyses showed the efficient formation of homogenous films on the PVDF membrane surface and the improvement of hydrophilicity by the inkjet printing technique. The PVDF membranes decorated with the optimized polyphenolic coating exhibited a promising oil/water separation efficiency (higher than 99%) with a high average water permeation flux of 5.2 times higher than that of the pristine membrane. Meanwhile, the modified membranes illustrated a good stability under acidic conditions (pH = 2-7). The novel method proposed in this study is facile, cost-saving and environment-friendly. The advantages of the proposed method and the modified membranes demonstrated the great significance of the proposed method in practical applications.

Effect of particle surface corrugation on colloidal interactions

HYPOTHESIS

Production of corrugated particles generally introduces several morphological heterogeneities, such as surface roughness and local variations in the corrugation pattern, which are known from model system studies to significantly alter the colloidal interaction energy. Thus, realistic particle morphologies need to be investigated and compared to simple model shapes to yield insights into how interactions are influenced by such morphological heterogeneities.

EXPERIMENTS

We applied the surface element integration method to study the colloidal interactions of electron tomography-based, realistic, corrugated colloidal particles and their symmetric, concave polyhedral analogs by differentiating local surface features to vertices, ridges and ridge networks. We applied molecular modelling to assess the surface access of these features.

FINDINGS

Significant mixing of the interaction energy was found between the different surface features. Larger and smaller energy barrier heights and secondary minimum depths were observed compared to the concave polyhedral models with similar volume or surface area depending on the contacting surface feature. Analysis of surface area distributions suggests that the deviations originate from the altered effective contact distance as a result of surface roughness and other morphological heterogeneities. We also found that the surface access of nanoparticles is greatly impaired at the crevices between the surface corrugations.

Effects of molecular weight distribution of soluble microbial products (SMPs) on membrane fouling in a membrane bioreactor (MBR): Novel mechanistic insights

While molecular weight distribution (MWD) is one of the most important properties of soluble microbial products (SMPs), mechanisms underlying effects of MWD of SMPs on membrane fouling have not well unveiled. In this study, it was found that, the supernatant of sludge suspension in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) for wastewater treatment can be fractionated into a series of SMPs samples with different molecular weight (MW) fraction. The real gel sample mainly formed by the rejected SMPs on membrane surface had a high specific filtration resistance (SFR) of 1.21 × 10¹⁶ m^-1 kg^-1. The SFR of SMPs samples and the model foulants of polyethylene glycol (PEG) increased with their MW. The change trend of SFR with MW cannot be sufficiently explained by three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (EMM) and chemical compositions. Tyndall effect analysis indicated that gelating ability of SMPs and PEG in the solution increased with their MW. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) confirmed gel structure changes with the PEG MW. Accordingly, mechanisms based on Carman-Kozeny equation and Flory-Huggins lattice theory were proposed to interpret SFR of SMPs with low and high MW, respectively. Simulating these two mechanistic models on PEG samples resulted in the comparable SFR data to the experimental ones, indicating the correctness and feasibility of the proposed mechanisms. The proposed mechanisms provided in-depth understanding of membrane fouling regarding MW, facilitating to develop effective membrane fouling mitigation strategies.

Effects of structural vulnerability of flat-sheet membranes on fouling development in continuous submerged membrane bioreactors

The relationship between fouling development in a continuous laboratory-scale membrane reactor (MBR/Lab) and the membrane material was investigated using flat-sheet membranes prepared from four materials (polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), polyethersulfone, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, and polytetrafluoroethylene). Further, the characteristics of the suspension liquid in MBR/Lab were compared with those of samples from actual wastewater treatment plants. It was found that, in addition to the membrane material's own characteristics, the structural vulnerability of the membranes had a determining effect on fouling development. The PVDF membrane showed the highest transmembrane pressure during MBR operation and its surface experienced significant damage because of the shearing stress caused by aeration, resulting in the penetration of the membrane by the fouling compounds. The characteristics of suspension liquid in MBR/Lab were almost similar to those in the MBR at a night-soil treatment plant and the aeration tank of a sewage treatment plant.

Polymeric Membranes Incorporated With ZnO Nanoparticles for Membrane Fouling Mitigation: A Brief Review

Due to the flexibility of operation, high removal ability, and economic cost, separation membranes have proved to be one of the most significant technologies in various aspects including water treatment. However, membrane fouling is a predominant barrier which is severely limiting the whole membrane industry. To mitigate membrane fouling, researchers have carried out several modification strategies including the incorporation of hydrophilic inorganic components. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, known as a low-cost, environment-friendly, and hydrophilic inorganic material, have been used by worldwide researchers. As claimed by the scientific literatures, ZnO nanoparticles can not only endow the polymeric membranes with antifouling performance but also supply a photocatalytic self-cleaning ability. Therefore, polymer-ZnO composite membranes were considered to be an attractive hot topic in membrane technology. In the last decades, it has been significantly matured by a large mass of literature reports. The current review highlights the latest findings in polymeric membranes incorporated with ZnO nanoparticles for membrane fouling mitigation. The membrane fouling, ZnO nanoparticles, and modification technology were introduced in the first three sections. Particularly, the review makes a summary of the reports of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-ZnO composite membranes, polyethersulfone (PES)-ZnO composite membranes, and other composite membranes incorporated with ZnO nanoparticles. This review further points out several crucial topics for the future development of polymer-ZnO composite membranes.

Inhibition of biofouling in membrane bioreactor by metabolic uncoupler based on controlling microorganisms accumulation and quorum sensing signals secretion

Biofouling is a limiting bottleneck in the development of membrane bioreactor (MBR) since the birth of this technology. Recently, the biofouling control strategy based on interfering with the bacterial quorum sensing (QS) system is highly desirable for biofouling control in MBR. In this study, three lab-scale parallel MBR systems were operated over 100 days to investigate the inhibitory effect of a metabolic uncoupler (3,3',4',5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide, TCS) on biofouling and the potential mechanism for biofouling control. Compared to the control MBR, the fouling cycle duration of MBR 2 with 100 μg/L TCS extended over two times. The attached biomass on membrane in MBR 2 decreased over 50% at the end of each operating period, which indicated that the addition of TCS significantly mitigated microorganisms accumulation on membrane. The content of interspecies QS signal (autoinducer-2) and intraspecific QS signals (N-octanoyl-_dl-homoserine lactone, C8-HSL) was reduced by the TCS, suggesting the secretion of QS signals in MBR were affected by uncoupler. Although the addition of TCS induced brief fluctuations of extracellular proteins and polysaccharides, microorganisms seemed to rapidly acclimatize to the presence of TCS and then the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) was inhibited by 100 μg/L TCS. The continuous operation of MBR was not be affected by the low-concentration uncoupler via the analysis of substrate removal and sludge growth. This study systematically evaluated the effect and inhibitory efficiency of TCS on biofouling, biomass accumulation, QS signals, EPS and treatment performances, demonstrating the feasibility of metabolic uncoupler for biofouling control in MBR.

Magnetic field assisted preparation of PES-Ni@MWCNTs membrane with enhanced permeability and antifouling performance

Multiple wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), as an excellent material, have been used in various applications including preparation of polymer-MWCNTs composite membranes. However, few reports have combined the magnetic Ni@MWCNTs with polyether sulfone (PES) membrane to improve its antifouling performance to humic acid (HA), sodium alginate (SA), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and yeast (YE) solutions. In this study, the Ni@MWCNTs was generated by immersing MWCNTs into Ni²⁺ solution where in-situ reduction reaction was launched by the adsorbed Ag⁺ on MWCNTs. Since the loaded Ni endowed magnetism to MWCNTs, the Ni@MWCNTs can be easily attracted onto the membrane surface by an external magnetic field during the phase inversion process. The morphology measurements confirmed that the Ni@MWCNTs headed out of the PES-Ni@MWCNTs membrane surface. Because the MWCNTs played a role of free channels for water molecules, the composite membrane water flux reached to threefold flux of the pristine membrane. Moreover, the PES-Ni@MWCNTs membranes displayed the obviously enhanced antifouling ability during all the three alternative filtration cycles of water and BSA, SA, YE and HA solutions. In addition, the optimal PES-Ni@MWCNTs membrane demonstrated a flux recovery rate (FRR) of 67.89%, 85.53%, 60.28 and 90.12% for BSA, SA, YE and HA, respectively, which were not only much higher than that of the pristine membrane, but also exhibited significant improvements comparing with the previous studies. Further results of extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory indicated that the modified membrane possessed advantageous interaction energies with contaminant molecules over the pristine membrane.

Molecular insights into the impacts of iron(III) ions on membrane fouling by alginate

Molecular mechanisms responsible for the filtration behaviors of sodium alginate (SA) in presence of different iron(III) ion concentration were explored in this study. It was found that specific filtration resistance (SFR) of alginate mixtures (1.0 gSA/L) firstly increased and then decreased to a trough with iron(III) concentration increase from 0 to 2.5 mM. Alginate mixture interacting with 0.1 mM iron(III) possessed an SFR as high as 1.65 × 10¹⁴ m kg^-1, which could be explained by Flory-Huggins lattice theory related with gel filtration. Optical observation showed significant morphology transition (from gel to granular solids) of foulant layers with iron(III) concentration increase. A series of characterizations indicated the change of microstructure, pH and surface charge of alginate mixture with iron(III) concentration. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation suggested that iron(III) ion preferentially forms coordination bonds with three terminal carboxyl groups of alginate chains, facilitating elongation and cross-linking of alginate chains. Such a coordination mode induces formation of a slime and homogeneous gel, corresponding to high SFR. Continuous increase in iron(III) concentration leads to non-terminal coordination, which makes alginate chains more clustered and coiled. This effect, together with effects of the reduced surface charge and electric double layer compression, significantly decrease SFR of alginate mixtures. This study provided deep molecular insights into effects of iron(III) ions on alginate fouling.

Fouling analysis and permeate quality evaluation of mulberry wine in microfiltration process

Sterilization and clarification are essential to produce wine of high quality and stability, microfiltration is a serious candidate for both purposes. In this work, microfiltration of fermented mulberry wine was evaluated for the first time. Four different commercial membranes, of two different materials (PES, PVDF) and two different nominal pore sizes (0.22 μm and 0.45 μm) were employed. Pore blocking model was used to identify the fouling mechanism, foulant constituents were revealed by FT-IR spectra. The effect of microfiltration on permeate quality of mulberry wine was also involved. The results indicated that cake formation was the dominant mechanism during steady-state of mulberry wine microfiltration, independently on the membrane property. The fouling layer was mainly composed of protein and polysaccharides, which induced basically reversible overall filtration resistance. Microfiltration delivered a superior clarity, highly polydisperse and light-color mulberry wine with a satisfactory sterilization stability. It preserved the main basic properties and organic acid contents of mulberry wine while resulted in certain loss of volatile compounds, especially esters and alcohols. This work has provided a scientific reference for producing mulberry wine, a modern functional beverage.

Microfiltration of mulberry wine.

Application of radial basis function artificial neural network to quantify interfacial energies related to membrane fouling in a membrane bioreactor

Efficient quantification of interfacial energy related with membrane fouling represents the primary interest in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) as interfacial energy determines foulant layer formation. In this study, radial basis function (RBF) artificial neural networks (ANNs) with five related factors as input variables were applied to quantify interfacial energy with randomly rough membrane surface. It was found that, RBF ANNs could well capture the complex non-linear relationships between the related factors and interfacial energy. RBF ANN quantification showed high regression coefficient and accuracy, suggesting its high capacity to quantify interfacial energy. Compared to at least one-week time consumption of the advanced extensive Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) approach, quantification by RBF ANNs only took several seconds for a same case, indicating the high efficiency of RBF ANNs. Moreover, the abilities of RBF ANNs can be further improved. The robust RBF ANNs proposed paved a new way to study membrane fouling in MBRs.