Difference in membrane fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) caused by membrane polymer materials

There is a need for efficient control of membrane fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs), but there is still an insufficient understanding of the phenomena of membrane fouling and little is known about the influence of polymeric membrane materials on membrane fouling in MBRs. In this study, the infl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of membrane science Vol. 280; no. 1; pp. 911 - 919
Main Authors Yamato, Nobuhiro, Kimura, Katsuki, Miyoshi, Taro, Watanabe, Yoshimasa
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 01.09.2006
Subjects
Membrane bioreactor
Membrane fouling
Municipal wastewater
Organic matter
Polymeric membrane material
Membrane bioreactor
Organic matter
Polymeric membrane material
Membrane fouling
Municipal wastewater
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Summary:There is a need for efficient control of membrane fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs), but there is still an insufficient understanding of the phenomena of membrane fouling and little is known about the influence of polymeric membrane materials on membrane fouling in MBRs. In this study, the influence of polymeric membrane materials on membrane fouling in MBRs was investigated on the basis of results of a pilot-scale experiment using real municipal wastewater. Two different polymers, polyethylene (PE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), were examined side by side and the degree of fouling in each membrane was monitored. Also, analysis of the foulants in both membranes was carried out. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that PVDF is superior to PE in terms of prevention of irreversible fouling in MBRs used for treatment of municipal wastewater. Dissolved matter was mainly responsible for the irreversible fouling. Reversible fouling in the PVDF membrane might be related to an increase in sub-micron-sized organic matter that was mainly composed of carbohydrate. Composition of the foulants causing irreversible fouling differed considerably depending on the membrane polymeric materials. The results suggested that some fractions in organic matter in the mixed liquor have higher affinities with the membrane than do other fractions and consequently cause greater irreversible fouling.
ISSN:0376-7388
1873-3123
DOI:10.1016/j.memsci.2006.03.009