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Enhancement effects of cationic contaminants from bacteria on cake layer formation and biofouling on an RO membrane

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Abstract

The model cationic molecule prodigiosin interacted with a polyamide/polysulfone composite reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, resulting in a reduction of the membrane permeation rate. Prodigiosin is an antibacterial agent produced by Serratia marcescens that is frequently isolated from activated sludge of domestic or industrial wastewater. Such molecules respectively secreted or leaked from live or dead cells are thought to affect membrane biofouling. In this study, a cell suspension containing prodigiosin-producing S. marcescens AS-1 wild-type or the non-producing AS-1ΔspnI strain was fed to the thin RO membrane to determine the occlusion ratio on the membrane. Cationic prodigiosin enhanced membrane biofouling by clogging the pores and enhanced the accumulation of the cake layer. The effects remarkably recovered the occlusion ratio after removing the cake layer by feeding with water. After temporary pressure relief, the occlusion ratios for AS-1 and AS-1ΔspnI were recovered to stable levels from approximately 70 to 49% and 23%, respectively. Zetapotential analysis supported the neutralization effects leading to the accumulation of bacterial cells under applied high pressure for RO membrane permeation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Material and Environmental Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, 321-8585, Japan

    Shun Yamanouchi, Eri Nasuno, Ken-ichi Iimura & Norihiro Kato

  2. Environmental Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan

    Masaki Ohno & Wataru Nishijima

  3. Creative Department for Innovation, Collaboration Center for Research and Development, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, 321-8585, Japan

    Chigusa Okano

  4. Department of Environmental Solution Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Ryukoku University, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2144, Japan

    Tetsuji Okuda

Authors
  1. Shun Yamanouchi
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  2. Eri Nasuno
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  3. Masaki Ohno
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  4. Chigusa Okano
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  5. Ken-ichi Iimura
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  6. Tetsuji Okuda
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  7. Wataru Nishijima
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  8. Norihiro Kato
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Correspondence to Eri Nasuno.

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Yamanouchi, S., Nasuno, E., Ohno, M. et al. Enhancement effects of cationic contaminants from bacteria on cake layer formation and biofouling on an RO membrane. Biotechnol Bioproc E 22, 281–286 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-017-0093-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-017-0093-4

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