Effect of coagulation pretreatment on membrane filtration performance

hen the drinking water industry began to utilize membrane filtration (microfiltration and ultrafiltration), common water sources included high-quality, low-turbidity lakes that required minimal treatment. Membrane filtration was able to provide the necessary treatment for turbidity removal without the need to integrate other treatment processes. The success of membrane filtration in this niche prompted the spread of the technology to sources that require more extensive treatment. The first full-scale treatment plant in North America utilizing coagulation pretreatment for membrane filtration began operating in late 1998 (Best et al, 2000), and coagulation pretreatment for membrane filtration is now becoming more common. Unfortunately, the interactions between coagulants, various constituents of natural waters, and membrane materials are complex, and the effect of coagulaW