Microcystis aeruginosa was cultured in biologically treated municipal effluent to simulate blue-green algal bloom conditions in a treatment lagoon. The effect of algae in the early, mid and late phases of growth on membrane fouling, chemical coagulation (alum or aluminium chlorohydrate (ACH)) and hydraulic cleaning on the microfiltration of this effluent was investigated. The effect of M. aeruginosa in the early phase was negligible and gave a similar flux profile and permeate volume to that of effluent alone. The increase in M. aeruginosa concentration for the mid and late phases caused a significant reduction in permeate volume compared with the early phase. Full flux recovery was achieved with an alum dose of 1 mg Al3+ L(-1) (early phase) and 10 mg Al3+ L(-1) (mid phase), demonstrating that membrane fouling was hydraulically reversible. For the late phase, the highest flux recovery was 89%, which was achieved with an alum dose of 5 mg Al3+ L(-1). Higher alum dosages resulted in a reduction in flux recovery. The use of 1.5 pm pre-filtration after alum treatment showed little improvement in water quality but led to a drastic reduction in flux recovery, which was attributed to diminishing the protective layer on the membrane surface, thus enabling internal fouling. The performance of ACH was comparable to alum at low dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and cell concentration, but was not as effective as alum at high DOC and cell concentration due to the formation of more compact ACH flocs, which resulted in a higher cake layer specific resistance, leading to the deterioration of performance.
Two-step synthesis of proton-conducting poly(ether sulfone) (PES) graft copolymer electrolyte membrane is proposed. Fridel Craft alkylation reaction was used to introduce chloromethyl pendant group onto the PES polymer backbone. Later on, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was applied to synthesize a series of poly(ether sulfone) grafted poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PES-g-PSSA). Successful chloromethyl substitution and grafting of the pendant group was characterized by the 1 H-NMR and elemental analysis. Electrochemical properties such as ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake and proton conductivity increased with increasing PSSA contents. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the thermal stability of membranes up to 270 o C. Proton conductivity for maximum amount of grafting was 0.00297 S/cm.
Cyanobacterial blooms in the lagoons of sewage treatment plants can severely impact the performance of membrane plants treating the effluent. This paper investigates the impact of Microcystis aeruginosa in a secondary effluent on the microfiltration filterability and cleaning of the membrane. Alum coagulation and dissolved air flotation (DAF) were investigated to remove the algae and so enhance the volume of effluent processed, and their influence on reversible and irreversible fouling. Degree of fouling due to the algal components was found to be in decreasing order of algal cells, algal organic matter and extracellular organic matter. Alum coagulation with 5 mg L⁻¹ as Al³(+) led to a substantial increase in permeate volume, an increase in dissolved organic carbon removal, and a foulant layer which protected the membrane from internal fouling but which was hydraulically removable resulting in full flux recovery. Pre-treatment by DAF or 1.5 μm filtration following alum coagulation enhanced the flux rate and permeate volume but exposed the membrane to internal irreversible fouling.
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