Evaluation of methods for reverse osmosis membrane integrity monitoring for wastewater reuse. (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Xiao; Min, Joon H.; Lu, Wenzhou; Jaktar, Kris; Yu, Christopher; Jiang, Sunny C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of water process engineering. Volume 7(2015)
• Page Start: 161
• Page End: 168
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: CDPH California department of public health -- DLS dynamic light scattering -- DOM dissolved organic matter -- EC electrical conductivity -- EEM fluorescence excitation-emission matrix -- EFM epifluorescence microscopy -- FCM flow cytometry -- FL1 florescence channel 1 -- FL3 florescence channel 3 -- MF microfiltration -- RO reverse osmosis -- SSC side scatter -- TDS total dissolved solids -- TOC total organic carbon -- UF ultrafiltration -- WRD water replenishment district; Membrane integrity -- Reverse osmosis -- Flow cytometry -- Dynamic light scattering -- TOC; Water-supply engineering -- Periodicals; Saline water conversion -- Periodicals; Seawater -- Distillation -- Periodicals; Sanitary engineering -- Periodicals; Sewage -- Purification -- Periodicals; 627
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2015.05.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2214-7144

Abstract

Abstract: Wastewater reclamation with advanced membrane technology holds great potential to supplement the diminishing drinking water supply for human consumption. High-pressure reverse osmosis (RO) membrane processes offer a high level of pathogen removal capacity. However, the lack of recognized membrane integrity monitoring methods has restricted the pathogen removal credits allocation to the processes. This research investigated the feasibility of using flow cytometry (FCM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyzer and traditional water quality analyzers for RO membrane integrity monitoring. BD Accuri™ C6 flow cytometer demonstrated good sensitivity and reproducibility for quantifying virus reduction rate along the treatment processes, which provide direct evidence for RO membrane integrity monitoring. DLS (Nanotrac Ultra) showed promise to be used as a qualitative membrane integrity monitoring tool by characterizing particle size distributions in water. Traditional water quality analyzers were tested online in a pilot RO system with intentional introduced integrity breaches. Total organic carbon (TOC) measurements showed the best sensitivity to reflect different levels of integrity breaches. Feasibility analysis based on the instrument sensitivity, capital, maintenance and operating costs shows that an integrated system including more than one monitoring tools would be more reliable and economical for high-pressure membrane integrity monitoring.