Biofouling is still a major challenge in the application of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Here we present a platform approach for environmentally friendly biofouling control using a combination of a hydrogel-coated feed spacer and two-phase flow cleaning. Neutral (polyHEMA-co-PEG10MA), cationic (polyDMAEMA) and anionic (polySPMA) hydrogels have been successfully grafted onto pol...

Sodium persulfate is a common oxidant used for in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) remediation of ground water contaminants (e.g., trichloroethylene (TCE)). Following ISCO unused persulfate and oxidation by-products such as sulfates remain within the groundwater at elevated levels. In this laboratory study the performance of three membranes: one nanofiltration (NF) membrane (designated DK) and tw...

Despite their importance in many biological processes, membrane proteins are underrepresented in proteomic analysis because of their poor solubility (hydrophobicity) and often low abundance. We describe a novel approach for the identification of plasma membrane proteins and intracellular microsomal proteins that combines membrane fractionation, a centrifugal proteomic reactor for streamlined pr...

Nanofiltration membranes play an important role in the desalination of brackish and seawater as well as membrane mediated waste water reclamation and other industrial separations. Fouling of nanofiltration (NF) membranes is typically caused by inorganic and organic materials present in water that adhere to the surface and pores of the membrane and results in deterioration of performance (reduce...

Rejection characteristics of organic and inorganic compounds were examined for six reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and two nanofiltration (NF) membranes that are commercially available. A batch stirred-cell was employed to determine the membrane flux and the solute rejection for solutions at various concentrations and different pH conditions. The results show that for ionic solutes the degree of...

Ion rejection by nanofiltration (NF) membranes with bipolar fixed charge distributions have been investigated theoretically. Salt flux rectification has been predicted as a result of the broken symmetry of the fixed charge distribution on the pore walls. The existence of an optimal volume flux (i.e. leading to the highest salt rejection) has been put in evidence when there is a region within th...

The performance of a nanofiltration membrane for the removal of the nickel ion was studied as a function of the nickel concentration, solution pH, and the background ionic strength of the solution. Nanofiltration is investigated as a means to determine to what extent the nickel ions could be removed from acid mine drainage; thus the effect of solution chemistry on nanofiltration performance is ...

This study evaluates the performance of commercial reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes for removal metal ions from synthetic water surface carried north-west Lake Tanganyika in city Uvira, east Democratic Republic Congo. Metal ion analyses were performed by standardized ICP-MS ICP-OES methods. The RO membrane showed higher rejection high-concentration solutions (synthetic sam...

Membrane technology, i.e., ultrafiltration and nanofiltration, is growing in popularity, as it is a space efficient alternative for surface water treatment. Two types of hollow fiber membranes were tested in a fully equipped and automated pilot at a Swedish water treatment plant. Raw water was treated by a nanofilter and by coagulation before an ultrafilter. Operation parameters recorded during...

This paper compares the membrane processes available for water treatment. Membranes have the advantage of currently decreasing capital cost, a relatively small footprint compared to conventional treatment, generally a reduction in chemicals usage and comparably low maintenance requirements. Three membrane processes applicable to water treatment, micro- (MF), ultra- (UF), and nanofiltration (NF)...