title: Membrane fouling in a submerged membrane bioreactor: effect of pH and its implications.
abstract: The effect of pH on membrane fouling in a submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) was investigated in this study. It was found that, pH increase slightly increased the resistance of virgin membrane and fouled membrane. Pore clogging resistance was quite low, which was not apparently affected by the pH variation. Lower pH resulted in higher adherence of sludge flocs on membrane surface. Thermodynamic analysis showed that a repulsive energy barrier existed in the process of the foulants approaching to membrane surface. This energy barrier would decrease with pH decreased, suggesting the existence of a critical pH below which the repulsive energy barrier would disappear, which would facilitate attachment of the foulants. The resistance of the formed cake layer would significantly increase with the feed pH. This result could be explained by the osmotic pressure mechanism. The obtained findings also provided important implications for membrane fouling mitigation in MBRs.
authors.affiliation: College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
authors.forename: Meijia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
authors.forename: Fangyuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
authors.forename: Huachang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
authors.forename: Aijun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Jinhua Institute of Environmental Science Research, Jinhua 321017, PR China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
authors.forename: Xuexiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China. Electronic address: hjlin@zjnu.cn.
authors.forename: Hongjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D057219:Biofouling; D019149:Bioreactors; D005374:Filtration; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D058116:Lewis Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D058115:Lewis Bases / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D016062:Porosity; D012722:Sewage; D055672:Static Electricity; D013816:Thermodynamics; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D058116:Lewis Acids; D058115:Lewis Bases; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Energy barrier; Membrane bioreactor; Membrane fouling; Osmotic pressure; XDLVO approach