Effects of membrane orientation on fouling characteristics of forward osmosis membrane in concentration of microalgae culture. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Honda, Ryo; Rukapan, Weerapong; Komura, Hitomi; Teraoka, Yuta; Noguchi, Mana; Hoek, Eric M.V.
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 197(2015)
• Page Start: 429
• Page End: 433
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Forward osmosis -- Microalgae -- Membrane fouling -- Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS); Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.08.096
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Faster flux decline and lower flux recovery was observed in AL-DS mode. Smoother active-layer surface resulted in less irreversible fouling in AL-FS mode. Polysaccharides in EPS related to irreversible fouling in AL-DS mode. Proteins and humic-like substances were also found as irreversible foulants. Abstract: Application of forward osmosis (FO) membrane to microalgae cultivation processes enables concentration of microalgae and nutrients with low energy consumption. To understand fouling characteristics of FO membrane in concentration of microalgae culture, we studied flux decline, flux recovery by cleaning, and foulants characteristics, in different membrane orientation of active-layer-facing-feed-solution (AL-FS) and active-layer-facing-draw-solution (AL-DS) modes. Batch concentration of Chlorella vulgaris was conducted with a cellulose-triacetate FO membrane. Rapid flux decline and lower flux recovery was observed in AL-DS mode because of inner-membrane fouling including internal pore clogging, adsorption and internal concentration polarization in the support layer. A proportion of polysaccharides in extracellular polymeric substances to soluble microbial products were larger in chemical cleaning effluent than physical one in AL-DS mode, although those were not significantly different in AL-FS mode. Excitation-emission matrix analysis revealed that proteins and humic-like substances were also possible irreversible foulants both in AL-DS and AL-FS modes.