Feasibility of supercritical CO₂ treatment for controlling biofouling in the reverse osmosis process.
Physical cleaning and/or chemical cleaning have been generally used to control biofouling in the reverse osmosis (RO) process. However, conventional membrane cleaning methods to control biofouling are limited due to the generation of by-products and the potential for damage to the RO membranes. In this study, supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO(2)) treatment, an environmentally friendly technique, was introduced to control biofouling in the RO process. SC CO(2) (100 bar at 35°C) treatment was performed after biofouling was induced on a commercial RO membrane using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 GFP as a model bacterial strain. P. aeruginosa PA01 GFP biofilm cells were reduced on the RO membrane by >8 log within 30 min, and the permeate flux was sufficiently recovered in a laboratory-scale RO membrane system without any significant damage to the RO membrane. These results suggest that SC CO(2) treatment is a promising alternative membrane cleaning technique for biofouling in the RO process.
World Class University Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Daehak-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
Sungmin
S
Mun
Youngbin
Y
Baek
Cholin
C
Kim
Youn-Woo
YW
Lee
Jeyong
J
Yoon
D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D057219:Biofouling / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009995:Osmosis; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D002245:Carbon Dioxide