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Hybrid coagulation-UF processes for spent filter backwash water treatment: a comparison studies for PAFCl and FeCl3 as a pre-treatment

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Abstract

In this study, the reclamation of clean water from spent filter backwash water (SFBW) was investigated through pilot-scale experiments. The pilot plant consisted of pre-sedimentation, coagulation, flocculation, clarification, and ultrafiltration (UF). Two coagulants of PAFCl and FeCl3 were investigated with respect to their performance on treated SFBW quality and UF membrane fouling. At the optimum dose of PAFCl and FeCl3 turbidity removal of 99.6 and 99.4% was attained, respectively. PAFCl resulted in an optimum UV254, TOC, and DOC removal of 80, 83.6, and 72.7%, respectively, and FeCl3 caused the removal of those parameters by 76.7, 80.9, and 65.9%, respectively. PAFCl removed hydrophilic and transphilic constituent better than FeCl3, but FeCl3 had, to some extent, higher affinities to a hydrophobic fraction. It was concluded that PAFCl showed a better coagulation performance in most cases and caused a lower membrane fouling rate compared to FeCl3. Finally, the treated SFBW with both coagulant-UF systems met the drinking water standards.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge funding provided by the Isfahan University of Medical Science, School of Health, Environmental Health Engineering Department, Isfahan, Iran, for this Ph.D. thesis with code number 394281. The help and cooperation of Isfahan Water & Wastewater Company is also appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of NonCommunicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Afshin Ebrahimi, Mohammad Mehdi Amin, Hamidreza Pourzamani & Yaghoub Hajizadeh

  2. School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Hamidreza Pourzamani & Amir Hossein Mahvi

  3. Environment Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Hamidreza Pourzamani & Mokhtar Mahdavi

  4. Student Research Committee and Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Hamidreza Pourzamani & Mokhtar Mahdavi

  5. Isfahan Water and Wastewater Company, Isfahan, Iran

    Mohammad Hassan Rabie Rad

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  1. Afshin Ebrahimi
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  2. Mohammad Mehdi Amin
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  3. Hamidreza Pourzamani
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  4. Yaghoub Hajizadeh
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  5. Amir Hossein Mahvi
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Correspondence to Mokhtar Mahdavi.

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Ebrahimi, A., Amin, M.M., Pourzamani, H. et al. Hybrid coagulation-UF processes for spent filter backwash water treatment: a comparison studies for PAFCl and FeCl3 as a pre-treatment. Environ Monit Assess 189, 387 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6091-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6091-3

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