Abstract
A flat submerged membrane combined with a TiO2/UV photocatalytic reactor (FSMPR) was employed in batch mode to remove humic acid (HA). HA removal efficiency was characterized by UV254 absorbance, UV-vis spectra, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, specific UV absorbance (SUVA), and trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP). The FSMPR process was effective in removing more than 86% of DOC and nearly 100% of UV254 absorbance, while the THMFPs of samples were reduced to < 19 μg/L after 150 min of treatment. In addition, changes in transmembrane pressure (TMP) with and without UV were evaluated; TiO2/UV was effective at controlling membrane fouling by HA. Analysis of the molecular weight (MW) distributions and three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectra of HAs revealed that the effectiveness in membrane fouling control is a result of changes in HA molecular characteristics. The TiO2/UV photocatalytic reactor caused the degradation of high MW, hydrophobic humic-like molecules to low MW, hydrophilic protein-like molecules, although this fraction was not completely removed during 150 min of treatment and was less responsible for membrane fouling.
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Wei, Y., Chu, H., Dong, B. et al. Evaluation of humic acid removal by a flat submerged membrane photoreactor. Chin. Sci. Bull. 56, 3437–3444 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-011-4712-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-011-4712-8