title: The application of microfiltration-reverse osmosis/nanofiltration to trace organics removal for municipal wastewater reuse.
abstract: The fate of organic micropollutans (MPs) in a membrane system based on microfiltration (MF) and reverse osmosis/nanofiltration (RO/NF) has been investigated for the case of wastewater reuse. Both an operating full-scale water reuse plant and a pilot plant were employed, with 22 individual organic compounds at their ambient concentrations studied for the former and the latter employing two target compounds over a range of feed concentrations. Results revealed removal efficiencies higher than 75% for most compounds in the full-scale plant, though mass flow studies on all streams revealed a significant imbalance of material for some compounds. Rejection efficiencies measured for candidate commercial NF and RO membranes tested at pilot scale challenged with a pharmaceutically active compound (ibuprofen, IBU) and an endocrine-disrupting chemical (nonylphenol, NP) exceeded 99%. Permeate concentrations were 0.005-0.14 microg/L for IBU and below the limit of detection for NP. A mass balance of the MPs for the full-scale plant across the MF and RO stages revealed a significant imbalance associated with the challenge of accurate determination of low concentrations. Differences in pilot plant and full-scale data were otherwise attributed to the impact of membrane ageing (and specifically hydrolysis) on RO rejection of the MPs examined.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cartmell
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Roda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Judd
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009995:Osmosis; D014462:Ultrafiltration / Q000295:instrumentation*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical