Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A review of membrane fouling in municipal secondary effluent reclamation

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Reclamation of municipal secondary effluent for non-potable purposes is considered vital in alleviating the demand for existing limited water supplies while helping to protect remaining water sources from being polluted. In recent decades, reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membrane technologies have become increasingly attractive for reclamation of municipal secondary effluent because they are highly efficient, easy to operate, and economical. However, membrane fouling is a major obstacle in the development of membrane technology in municipal secondary effluent reclamation. This paper reviews three types of membrane fouling in municipal secondary effluent reclamation, namely, effluent organic matter (EfOM) membrane fouling, microbial membrane fouling, and inorganic membrane fouling, as well as their correlation. Membrane fouling by EfOM and microbes are found to be severe, and they are significantly correlated. Most previous studies conducted laboratory-scale experiments of membrane fouling with model organic matters and bacteria, but these model organic matters and bacteria might still be unrepresentative. More studies on membrane fouling in municipal secondary effluent reclamation with actual wastewater are essential.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ang WS, Elimelech M (2007) Protein (BSA) fouling of reverse osmosis membranes: implications for wastewater reclamation. J Membr Sci 296:83–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ang WS, Elimelech M (2008) Fatty acid fouling of reverse osmosis membranes: implications for wastewater reclamation. Water Res 42:4393–4403

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aqino SFD (2004) Formation of soluble microbial products (SMP) in anaerobic digesters during stress conditions. Ph.D. Thesis, Imperial College, London

  • Barker DJ, Stuckey DC (1999) A review of soluble microbial products (SMP) in wastewater treatment systems. Water Res 33:3063–3082

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barker DJ, Salvi SML, Langenhoff AAM et al (2000) Soluble microbial products in ABR treating low-strength wastewater. J Environ Eng 126:239–249

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bellona C, Marts M, Drewes JE (2010) The effect of organic membrane fouling on the properties and rejection characteristics of nanofiltration membranes. Sep Purif Technol 74:44–54

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chon K, Lee S, Hussain AA et al (2010) Developing organic fouling indices of microfiltration and nanofiltration membranes for wastewater reclamation. Desalin Water Treat 18:61–70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dignac MF, Ginestet P, Rybacki D et al (2000) Fate of wastewater organic pollution during activated sludge treatment: nature of residual organic matter. Water Res 34:4185–4194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ding WH, Fujita Y, Aeschimann R et al (1996) Identification of organic residues in tertiary effluents by GC/EI-MS, GC/CI-MS and GC/TSQ-MS. Fresenius J Anal Chem 354:48–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drews A (2010) Membrane fouling in membrane bioreactors—characterisation, contradictions, cause and cures. J Membr Sci 363:1–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goosen MFA, Sablani SS, Ai-Hinai H et al (2004) Fouling of reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration membranes: a critical review. Sep Sci Technol 39:2261–2297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herzberg M (2010) Osmotic effects of biofouling in reverse osmosis (RO) processes: physical and physiological measurements and mechanisms. Desalin Water Treat 15:287–291

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herzberg M, Elimelech M (2007) Biofouling of reverse osmosis membranes: role of biofilm-enhanced osmotic pressure. J Membr Sci 295:11–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herzberg M, Elimelech M (2008) Physiology and genetic traits of reverse osmosis membrane biofilms: a case study with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ISME J 2:180–194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herzberg M, Kang S, Elimelech M (2009a) Role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in Biofouling of reverse osmosis membranes. Environ Sci Technol 43:4393–4398

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herzberg M, Rezene TZ, Ziemba C et al (2009b) Impact of higher alginate expression on deposition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in radial stagnation point flow and reverse osmosis systems. Environ Sci Technol 43:7376–7383

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ivnitsky H, Katz I, Minz D et al (2007) Bacterial community composition and structure of biofilms developing on nanofiltration membranes applied to wastewater treatment. Water Res 41:3924–3935

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jarusutthirak C, Amy G (2006) Role of soluble microbial products (SMP) in membrane fouling and flux decline. Environ Sci Technol 40:969–974

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jarusutthirak C, Amy G (2007) Understanding soluble microbial products (SMP) as a component of effluent organic matter (EfOM). Water Res 41:2787–2793

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jarusutthirak C, Amy G, Croué JP (2002) Fouling characteristics of wastewater effluent organic matter (EfOM) isolates on NF and UF membranes. Desalination 145:247–255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kang S, Subramani A, Hoek EMV et al (2004) Direct observation of biofouling in cross-flow microfiltration: mechanisms of deposition and release. J Membr Sci 244:151–165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan MMT, Mickols B, Moll DJ et al. (2006) Heterogeneity and distribution of biofilm on reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes in rotating disk reactor system, North American Membrane Society (NAMS) conference in Chicago, USA, pp 12–17

  • Khan MMT, Stewart PS, Moll DJ et al (2010) Assessing biofouling on polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membrane surfaces in a laboratory system. J Membr Sci 349:429–437

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kwak SY, Ihm DW (1999) Use of atomic force microscopy and solid-state NMR spectroscopy to characterize structure property-performance correlation in high-flux reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. J Membr Sci 158:143–153

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laspidou CD, Rittmann BE (2002) A unified theory for extracellular polymeric substances, soluble microbial products, and active and inert biomass. Water Res 36:2711–2720

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Law CMC, Li XY, Li QL (2010) The combined colloid-organic fouling on nanofiltration membrane for wastewater treatment and reuse. Sep Sci Technol 45:935–940

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee S, Ang WS, Elimelech M (2006) Fouling of reverse osmosis membranes by hydrophilic organic matter: implications for water reuse. Desalination 187:313–321

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li QL, Elimelech M (2006) Synergistic effects in combined fouling of a loose nanofiltration membrane by colloidal materials and natural organic matter. J Membr Sci 278:72–82

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li H, Fane AG, Coster HGL, Vigneswaran S (1998) Direct observation of particle deposition on the membrane surface during crossflow microfiltration. J Membr Sci 149:83–97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li QL, Xu ZH, Pinnau I (2007) Fouling of reverse osmosis membranes by biopolymers in wastewater secondary effluent: role of membrane surface properties and initial permeate flux. J Membr Sci 290:173–181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lisiarini K, Chun W, Sun DD, Leckie J (2009) Fouling mechanism and resistance analyses of systems containing sodium alginate, calcium, alum and their combination in dead-end fouling of nanofiltration membranes. J Membr Sci 344:244–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manka J, Rebhun M (1982) Organic groups and MWD in effluents and renovated waters. Water Res 16:399–403

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moon J, Lee S, Song JH et al (2010) Membrane fouling indicator of effluent organic matter with nanofiltration for wastewater reclamation, as obtained from flow field-flow fractionation. Sep Purif Technol 73:164–172

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mores WD, Davis RH (2001) Direct visual observation of yeast deposition and removal during microfiltration. J Membr Sci 189:217–230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Namkung E, Rittmann BE (1986) Soluble microbial products (SMP) formation kinetics by biofilms. Water Res 20:795–806

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ning RY, Troyer TL (2007) Colloidal fouling of RO membranes following MF/UF in the reclamation of municipal wastewater. Desalination 208:232–237

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pasmore M, Todd P, Smith S et al (2001) Effects of ultrafiltration membrane surface properties on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm initiation for the purpose of reducing biofouling. J Membr Sci 194:15–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberger S, Laabs C, Lesjean B et al (2006) Impact of colloidal and soluble organic material on membrane performance in membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment. Water Res 40:710–719

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sadr Ghayeni SB, Beatson PJ, Schneider RP (1998) Adhesion of waste water bacteria to reverse osmosis membranes. J Membr Sci 138:29–42

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schiener P, Nachaiyasit S, Stuckey DC (1998) Production of soluble microbial products (SMP) in an anaerobic baffled reactor: composition, biodegradability and the effect of process parameters. Environ Technol 19:391–400

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steiner Z, Rapaport H, Oren Y et al (2010) Effect of surface-exposed chemical groups on calcium-phosphate mineralization in water-treatment systems. Environ Sci Technol 44:7937–7943

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Subramani A, Huang XF, Hoek EMV (2009) Direct observation of bacterial deposition onto clean and organic-fouled polyamide membranes. J Colloid Interface Sci 336:13–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tansel B, Sager J, Garland J et al (2006) Deposition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and microtopographical changes on membrane surfaces during intermittent filtration conditions. J Membr Sci 285:225–231

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ven CVD, Sant KVT, Punt IGM, Zwijnenburg A, Kemperman AJB, derMeer WGJV, Wessling M (2008) Hollow fiber deadend ultrafiltration: influence of ionic environment on filtration of alginates. J Membr Sci 308:218–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu P, Bellona C, Drewes JE (2010) Fouling of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes during municipal wastewater reclamation: membrane autopsy results from pilot-scale investigations. J Membr Sci 353:111–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ye Y, Clech PL, Chen V, Fane AG (2005a) Evolution of fouling during crossflow filtration of model EPS solutions. J Membr Sci 264:190–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ye Y, Clech PL, Chen V, Fane AG, Jefferson B (2005b) Fouling mechanisms of alginate solutions as model extracellular polymeric substances. Desalination 175:7–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang LQ, Wang L, Zhang G, Wang XD (2009) Fouling of nanofiltration membrane by effluent organic matter: characterization using different organic fractions in wastewater. J Environ Sci (China) 21:49–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Y, Song LF, Ong SL (2010a) Fouling of RO membranes by effluent organic matter (EfOM): relating major components of EfOM to their characteristic fouling behaviors. J Membr Sci 349:75–82

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Y, Song LF, Ong SL (2010b) Fouling behavior and foulant characteristics of reverse osmosis membranes for treated secondary effluent reclamation. J Membr Sci 349:65–74

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by The National Science Foundation of China (51108230) and The National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (2009AA063901).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Xu Ke, Ren Hongqiang, Ding Lili, Geng Jinju & Zhang Tingting

Authors
  1. Xu Ke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ren Hongqiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ding Lili
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Geng Jinju
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhang Tingting
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ren Hongqiang.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ke, X., Hongqiang, R., Lili, D. et al. A review of membrane fouling in municipal secondary effluent reclamation. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 771–777 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1147-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1147-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation