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Yuan S, Zhang N, Yuan S, Wang Z. Insights into the silica scaling behaviors in membrane distillation and anti-scaling mechanism of functional polymers. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 261:122006. [PMID: 38944970 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Silica scaling imposes a significant limitation on the efficacy of membrane distillation (MD) in the treatment of hypersaline wastewater. The complex dynamic behaviors of silica at the membrane-water-air interface and the poor understanding of molecular-level anti-scaling mechanism hampers the development of effective antiscalants for mitigating silica scaling in MD. Despite using functional polymers to prevent silica polymerization, the inhibition mechanisms are unclear. Here, the kinetic process of silica scaling during MD and the potential anti-scaling mechanism of poly-ethylenimine (PEI) were investigated at the molecular level via molecular dynamics simulations. The investigation reveals that silica scales were more likely to adhere to the water-PTFE interface with a free energy potential well of -40.0 kJ mol-1 than that of the water-air interface with a -11.4 kJ mol-1 potential well. Silica scales falling at the water-air interface also migrated on the water-air interface until captured by the PTFE membrane. In this work, a representative functional amino-rich polymer PEI was constructed as silica inhibitors and its scale inhibition mechanism was elucidated. Notably, the inclusion of PEI increased the free-energy barriers for the silica polymerization reaction from 72.0 kJ mol-1 to 86.1 kJ mol-1, compared to scenarios without the antiscalants. Moreover, quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) model of ΔGwater-silica was developed to predict the anti-scaling efficiencies of typical antiscalants based on machine learning method. These findings provide valuable insights into enhancing the efficiency of silica scaling mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shideng Yuan
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Na Zhang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Shiling Yuan
- Key Lab of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, PR China
| | - Zhining Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China.
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2
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Hsieh IM, Malmali M. Scaling behavior in membrane distillation: Effect of Biopolymers and Antiscalants. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 255:121456. [PMID: 38547789 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/24/2024]
Abstract
Fouling and scaling are inherent characteristics of membrane-based separation. They lead to a reduced membrane throughput. In the case of membrane distillation (MD), they can possibly result in pore wetting and irreversible failure to sustain the mass transfer interface. Most prior research on understanding fouling and scaling uses indirect measurements (flux) or ex-situ analyses methods (such as SEM and EDX), which limit the outcomes to indirect qualitative conclusions. Particularly, studying scaling tends to be more challenging due to the complexity of the experiments and the method of investigation; it is imperative to distinguish the contributions from the bulk phase and heterogeneous nucleation. In this work, we established a non-invasive, in-situ, real-time imaging experimental apparatus to study the scaling mechanism. Our experimental setup assisted us in distinguishing distinct phases of scaling during the filtration tests. We studied the scaling mechanism of various single-component systems (sodium chloride, strontium sulfate, calcium sulfate, and calcium carbonate) in vacuum MD filtration. The effect of natural organic matter and antiscalants on gypsum scaling were systematically investigated. Overall, organic fouling on the membrane surface expedited heterogeneous crystallization while decelerating crystal growth in the bulk phase. For instance, deposited humic acid (HA) on the membrane surface promoted gypsum heterogeneous nucleation on the membrane surface due to the interactions between HA carboxylic functional groups and calcium ions. The adsorption of HA on the salt crystal also decelerated crystal growth in the bulk phase. Antiscalants delayed and decelerated both crystal nucleation and crystal growth. PAA, a polycarboxylate antiscalant at 5 ppm, was found to effectively delay the onset of nucleation and crystal growth in the bulk phase, while phosphorous antiscalants at 5 ppm only delayed the onset of nucleation in the bulk phase with a negligible influence on crystal growth. Real-time, in-situ, and non-invasive monitoring shed light on the scaling mechanism and can further be used to identify mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Min Hsieh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, 807 Canton Ave., Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Mahdi Malmali
- Department of Chemical Engineering, 807 Canton Ave., Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
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3
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Amusat O, Atia AA, Dudchenko AV, Bartholomew TV. Modeling Framework for Cost Optimization of Process-Scale Desalination Systems with Mineral Scaling and Precipitation. ACS ES&T ENGINEERING 2024; 4:1028-1047. [PMID: 38751651 PMCID: PMC11091887 DOI: 10.1021/acsestengg.3c00537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Cost-optimization models are powerful tools for evaluating emerging water treatment processes. However, to date, optimization models do not incorporate detailed chemical reaction phenomena, limiting the assessment of pretreatment and mineral scaling. Moreover, novel approaches for high-salinity and high-recovery desalination are typically proposed without direct quantification of pretreatment needs or mineral scaling. This work addresses a critical gap in the literature by presenting a modeling framework that includes complex water chemistry predictions with process-scale optimization. We use this approach to conduct a technoeconomic assessment on a conceptual high-recovery treatment train that includes chemical pretreatment (i.e., soda ash softening and recarbonation) and membrane-based desalination (i.e., standard and high-pressure reverse osmosis). We demonstrate how to develop and integrate accurate multidimensional surrogate models for predicting precipitation, pH, and mineral scaling tendencies. Our findings show that cost-optimal results balance the costs of pretreatment with reverse osmosis system design. Optimizing across a range of water recoveries (i.e., 50-90%) reveals multiple cost-optimal schemas that vary the chemical dosing in pretreatment and the design and operation of reverse osmosis. Our results reveal that pretreatment costs can be more than double the cost of the primary desalination process at high recoveries due to the extensive pretreatment required to control scaling. This work emphasizes the importance of and provides a framework for including chemistry and mineral scaling predictions in the evaluation of emerging technologies in high-recovery desalination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwamayowa
O. Amusat
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Adam A. Atia
- National
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236, United States
- NETL
Support Contractor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236, United States
| | - Alexander V. Dudchenko
- SLAC
National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo
Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Timothy V. Bartholomew
- National
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236, United States
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4
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Xia H, Jiang K, Chen X, Chen Z, Yang R, Yin X, Chen Y, Liu Y, Yang W, Zhang Y. Research on the inhibitory properties and mechanism of carboxymethyl cellulose-modified sulfur quantum dots towards calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 262:130106. [PMID: 38346628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
An eco-friendly antimicrobial sulfur quantum dot scale inhibitor (CMC-SQDs) synthesized using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) showed strong inhibition of calcium sulfate (CaSO4) at a concentration just below 1 mg/L, with an inhibition efficiency exceeding 99 %. However, the precise interaction process between CMC-SQDs and CaSO4 remains unclear. This article investigates the effectiveness of SQDs in inhibiting the formation of CaSO4 and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scales. Through static scale inhibition tests, molecular dynamics simulations, and quantum chemical calculations, the study aims to elucidate the different impacts of CMC-SQDs on CaSO4 and CaCO3 scale formation. The research focuses on understanding the relationship between the structural activity of CMC-SQDs and their scale-inhibiting performance and delving into the underlying mechanisms of scale inhibition. The findings describe the role of SQDs in a water-based solution, acting as persistent "nanodusts" that interact with calcium (Ca2+) ions and sulfate ions. CMC forms complexes with Ca2+ ions, and the presence of SQDs enhances the van der Waals force, indirectly increasing the resistance of associated ions and the binding energy on the surface of precipitated gypsum. Conversely, SQDs exhibit weak surface stability and have minimal binding energy when interacting with calcite, leading to limited occupation of available adsorption sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengtong Xia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Kaixiang Jiang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Zhihao Chen
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China.
| | - Ruodong Yang
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Xiaoshuang Yin
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Yun Chen
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Ying Liu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Wenzhong Yang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Henan Puyang Keliwei Chemical Co., Ltd, Henan 457000, China
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5
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Torre A, Vázquez-Rowe I, Parodi E, Kahhat R. A multi-criteria decision framework for circular wastewater systems in emerging megacities of the Global South. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169085. [PMID: 38056636 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Lima faces increasing water stress due to demographic growth, climate change and outdated water management infrastructure. Moreover, its highly centralized wastewater management system is currently unable to recover water or other resources. Hence, the primary aim of this study is to identify suitable wastewater treatment alternatives for both eutrophication mitigation and indirect potable reuse (IPR). For eutrophication mitigation, we examined MLE, Bardenpho, Step-feed, HF-MBR, and FS-MBR. For IPR, we considered secondary treatment+UF + RO + AOP or MBR + RO + AOP. These alternatives form part of a WWTP network at a district level, aiding Lima's pursuit of a circular economy approach. This perspective allows reducing environmental impacts through resource recovery, making the system more resilient to disasters and future water shortages. The methods used to assess these scenarios were Life Cycle Assessment for the environmental dimension; Life Cycle Costing for the economic perspective; and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis to integrate both the quantitative tools aforementioned and qualitative criteria for social and techno-operational dimensions, which combined, strengthen the decision-making process. The decision-making steered towards Bardenpho for eutrophication abatement when environmental and economic criteria were prioritized or when the four criteria were equally weighted, while HF-MBR was the preferred option when techno-operational and social aspects were emphasized. In this scenario, global warming (GW) impacts ranged from 0.23 to 0.27 kg CO2eq, eutrophication mitigation varied from 6.44 to 7.29 g PO4- equivalent, and costs ranged between 0.12 and 0.17 €/m3. Conversely, HF-MBR + RO + AOP showed the best performance when IPR was sought from the outset. In the IPR scenario, GW impacts were significantly higher, at 0.46-0.51 kg CO2eq, eutrophication abatement was above 98 % and costs increased to ca. 0.44 €/m3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Torre
- Peruvian LCA & Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru
| | - Ian Vázquez-Rowe
- Peruvian LCA & Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru.
| | - Eduardo Parodi
- Peruvian LCA & Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru
| | - Ramzy Kahhat
- Peruvian LCA & Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru
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6
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Kaneda M, Dong D, Chen Y, Zhang X, Xue Y, Bryantsev VS, Elimelech M, Zhong M. Molecular Design of Functional Polymers for Silica Scale Inhibition. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:871-882. [PMID: 38150403 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Silica polymerization, which involves the condensation reaction of silicic acid, is a fundamental process with wide-ranging implications in biological systems, material synthesis, and scale formation. The formation of a silica-based scale poses significant technological challenges to energy-efficient operations in various industrial processes, including heat exchangers and water treatment membranes. Despite the common strategy of applying functional polymers for inhibiting silica polymerization, the underlying mechanisms of inhibition remain elusive. In this study, we synthesized a series of nitrogen-containing polymers as silica inhibitors and elucidated the role of their molecular structures in stabilizing silicic acids. Polymers with both charged amine and uncharged amide groups in their backbones exhibit superior inhibition performance, retaining up to 430 ppm of reactive silica intact for 8 h under neutral pH conditions. In contrast, monomers of these amine/amide-containing polymers as well as polymers containing only amine or amide functionalities present insignificant inhibition. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal strong binding between the deprotonated silicic acid and a polymer when the amine groups in the polymer are protonated. Notably, an extended chain conformation of the polymer is crucial to prevent proximity between the interacting monomeric silica species, thereby facilitating effective silica inhibition. Furthermore, the hydrophobic nature of alkyl segments in polymer chains disrupts the hydration shell around the polymer, resulting in enhanced binding with ionized silicic acid precursors compared to monomers. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the stabilization of silicic acids with functional polymers, highlighting the molecular design principles of effective inhibitors for silica polymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masashi Kaneda
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Dengpan Dong
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Yinan Chen
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Yazhen Xue
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Vyacheslav S Bryantsev
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Mingjiang Zhong
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
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7
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Chang H, Zhu Y, Huang L, Yan Z, Qu F, Liang H. Mineral scaling induced membrane wetting in membrane distillation for water treatment: Fundamental mechanism and mitigation strategies. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 247:120807. [PMID: 37924685 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
The scaling-induced wetting phenomenon seriously affects the application of membrane distillation (MD) technology in hypersaline wastewater treatment. Unlike the large amount of researches on membrane scaling and membrane wetting, scaling-induced wetting is not sufficiently studied. In this work, the current research evolvement of scaling-induced wetting in MD was systematically summarized. Firstly, the theories involving scaling-induced wetting were discussed, including evaluation of scaling potential of specific solutions, classical and non-classical crystal nucleation and growth theories, observation and evolution of scaling-induced processes. Secondly, the primary pretreatment methods for alleviating scaling-induced wetting were discussed in detail, focusing on adding agents composed of coagulation, precipitation, oxidation, adsorption and scale inhibitors, filtration including granular filtration, membrane filtration and mesh filtration and application of external fields including sound, light, heat, electromagnetism, magnetism and aeration. Then, the roles of operation conditions and cleaning conditions in alleviating scaling-induced wetting were evaluated. The main operation parameters included temperature, flow rate, pressure, ultrasound, vibration and aeration, while different types of cleaning reagents, cleaning frequency and a series of assisted cleaning measures were summarized. Finally, the challenges and future needs in the application of nucleation theory to scaling-induced wetting, the speculation, monitoring and mitigation of scaling-induced wetting were proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqing Chang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610207, China.
| | - Yingyuan Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610207, China
| | - Lin Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610207, China
| | - Zhongsen Yan
- College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China
| | - Fangshu Qu
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Heng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
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8
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Yao Y, Ge X, Yin Y, Minjarez R, Tong T. Antiscalants for mitigating silica scaling in membrane desalination: Effects of molecular structure and membrane process. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 246:120701. [PMID: 37837901 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Silica scaling is a major type of mineral scaling that significantly constrains the performance and efficiency of membrane desalination. While antiscalants have been commonly used to control mineral scaling formed via crystallization, there is a lack of antiscalants for silica scaling due to its unique formation mechanism of polymerization. In this study, we performed a systematic study that investigated and compared antiscalants with different functional groups and molecular weights for mitigating silica scaling in membrane distillation (MD) and reverse osmosis (RO). The efficiencies of these antiscalants were tested in both static experiments (for hindering silicic acid polymerization) as well as crossflow, dynamic MD and RO experiments (for reducing water flux decline). Our results show that antiscalants enriched with strong H-accepters and H-donors were both able to hinder silicic acid polymerization efficiently in static experiments, with their antiscaling performance being a function of both molecular functionality and weight. Although poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with abundant H-accepters exhibited high antiscaling efficiencies during static experiments, it displayed limited performance of mitigating silica scaling during MD and RO. Poly (ethylene glycol) diamine (PEGD), which has a PEG backbone but is terminated by two amino groups, was efficient to both hinder silicic acid polymerization and reduce water flux decline in MD and RO. Antiscalants enriched with H-donors, such as poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) and poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM), were effective of extending the water recovery of MD but conversely facilitated water flux decline of RO in the presence of supersaturated silica. Further analyses of silica scales formed on the membrane surfaces confirmed that the antiscalants interacted with silica via hydrogen bonding and showed that the presence of antiscalants governed the silica morphology. Our work indicates that discrepancy in antiscalant efficiency exists between static experiments and dynamic membrane filtration as well as between different membrane processes associated with silica scaling, providing valuable insights on the design principle and mechanisms of antiscalants tailored to silica scaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Yao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Xijia Ge
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Yiming Yin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Ronny Minjarez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Tiezheng Tong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States.
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9
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Christie KSS, McGaughey A, McBride SA, Xu X, Priestley RD, Ren ZJ. Membrane Distillation-Crystallization for Sustainable Carbon Utilization and Storage. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:16628-16640. [PMID: 37857373 PMCID: PMC10621001 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions from power plants can be limited using postcombustion carbon dioxide capture by amine-based solvents. However, sustainable strategies for the simultaneous utilization and storage of carbon dioxide are limited. In this study, membrane distillation-crystallization is used to facilitate the controllable production of carbonate minerals directly from carbon dioxide-loaded amine solutions and waste materials such as fly ash residues and waste brines from desalination. To identify the most suitable conditions for carbon mineralization, we vary the membrane type, operating conditions, and system configuration. Feed solutions with 30 wt % monoethanolamine are loaded with 5-15% CO2 and heated to 40-50 °C before being dosed with 0.18 M Ca2+ and Mg2+. Membranes with lower surface energy and greater roughness are found to more rapidly promote mineralization due to up to 20% greater vapor flux. Lower operating temperature improves membrane wetting tolerance by 96.2% but simultaneously reduces crystal growth rate by 48.3%. Sweeping gas membrane distillation demonstrates a 71.6% reduction in the mineralization rate and a marginal improvement (37.5%) on membrane wetting tolerance. Mineral identity and growth characteristics are presented, and the analysis is extended to explore the potential improvements for carbon mineralization as well as the feasibility of future implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kofi S. S. Christie
- Andlinger
Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton
University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Allyson McGaughey
- Andlinger
Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton
University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Samantha A. McBride
- Department
of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Rodney D. Priestley
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
- Princeton
Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Zhiyong Jason Ren
- Andlinger
Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton
University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
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10
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Hu J, Harandi HB, Chen Y, Zhang L, Yin H, He T. Anisotropic gypsum scaling of corrugated polyvinylidene fluoride hydrophobic membrane in direct contact membrane distillation. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 244:120513. [PMID: 37651864 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Membrane distillation (MD) technology has gained a lot of attention for treatment of geothermal brine, high salinity waste streams. However, mineral scaling remains a major challenge when treating complex high-salt brines. The development of surface-patterned superhydrophobic membranes is one of the core strategies to solve this problem. We prepared flat sheet membranes (F-PVDF) and hydrophobic membranes with micron-scale corrugated pattern (C-PVDF) using a phase separation method. Their scaling behavior was systematically evaluated using calcium sulfate solutions and the impact of the feed flow was innovatively investigated. Although C-PVDF shows higher contact angle and lower sliding angle than F-PVDF, the scaling resistance of C-PVDF in the perpendicular flow direction has worst scaling resistance. Although the nucleation barrier of the corrugated membrane is the same at both parallel and perpendicular flow directions based on the traditional thermodynamic nucleation theory, experimental observations show that the C-PVDF has the best scaling resistance in the parallel flow direction. A 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was used and the hydrodynamic state of the pattern membranes was assessed as a determinant of the scaling resistance. The corrugated membrane with parallel flow mode (flow direction in parallel to the corrugation ridge) induces higher fluid velocity within the channel, which mitigated the deposition of crystals. While in the perpendicular flow mode (flow direction in perpendicular to the corrugation ridge), the solutions confined in the corrugated grooves due to vortex shielding, which aggravates the scaling. These results shed light on the mechanism of scaling resistance of corrugated membranes from a hydrodynamic perspective and reveal the mechanism of anisotropy exhibited by corrugated membranes in MD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Hu
- Laboratory for Membrane Materials and Separation Technologies, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hesam Bazargan Harandi
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Yecang Chen
- James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8LT, UK
| | - Liwei Zhang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China.
| | - Huabing Yin
- James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8LT, UK
| | - Tao He
- Laboratory for Membrane Materials and Separation Technologies, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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11
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Liao X, Lim YJ, Khayet M, Liao Y, Yao L, Zhao Y, Razaqpur AG. Applications of electrically conductive membranes in water treatment via membrane distillation: Joule heating, membrane fouling/scaling/wetting mitigation and monitoring. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 244:120511. [PMID: 37651868 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Membrane distillation (MD) is a thermally driven separation process that is driven by phase change. The core of this technology is the hydrophobic microporous membrane that prevents mass transfer of the liquid while allowing the vapor phase to pass through the membrane's pores. Currently, MD is challenged by its high energy consumption and membrane degradation due to fouling, scaling and wetting. The use of electrically conductive membranes (ECMs) is a promising alternative method to overcome these challenges by inducing localized Joule heating, as well as mitigating and monitoring membrane fouling/scaling/wetting. The objective of this review is to consolidate recent advances in ECMs from the standpoint of conductive materials, membrane fabrication methodologies, and applications in MD processes. First, the mechanisms of ECMs-based MD processes are reviewed. Then the current trends in conductive materials and membrane fabrication methods are discussed. Thereafter, a comprehensive review of ECMs in MD applications is presented in terms of the different processes using Joule heating and various works related to membrane fouling, scaling, and wetting control and monitoring. Key insights in terms of energy consumption, economic viability and scalability are furnished to provide readers with a holistic perspective of the ECMs potential to achieve better performances and higher efficiencies in MD. Finally, we illustrate our perspectives on the innovative methods to address current challenges and provide insights for advancing new ECMs designs. Overall, this review sums up the current status of ECMs, looking at the wide range of conductive materials and array of fabrication methods used thus far, and putting into perspective strategies to deliver a more competitive ECMs-based MD process in water treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangjun Liao
- Sino-Canadian Joint R&D Center for Water and Environmental Safety/Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China; Nankai University & Cangzhou Bohai New Area Institute of Green Chemical Engineering, No. 2 Sun Simiao Road, Cangzhou 061108, PR China
| | - Yu Jie Lim
- Singapore Membrane Technology Center, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 637141, Singapore
| | - Mohamed Khayet
- Department of Structure of Matter, Thermal Physics and Electronics, Faculty of Physics, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yuan Liao
- Sino-Canadian Joint R&D Center for Water and Environmental Safety/Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China; Nankai University & Cangzhou Bohai New Area Institute of Green Chemical Engineering, No. 2 Sun Simiao Road, Cangzhou 061108, PR China.
| | - Lei Yao
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, PR China
| | - Yali Zhao
- Sino-Canadian Joint R&D Center for Water and Environmental Safety/Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Abdul Ghani Razaqpur
- Sino-Canadian Joint R&D Center for Water and Environmental Safety/Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China.
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12
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Lu KG, Ma S, Hua D, Liu H, Li C, Song J, Huang H, Qin Y. Silica mitigated calcium mineral scaling in brackish water reverse osmosis. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 243:120428. [PMID: 37536247 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Although the autopsies of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes from full-scale, brackish water desalination plants identify the co-presence of silica and Ca-based minerals in scaling layers, minimal research exists on their formation process and mechanisms. Therefore, combined scaling by silica and either gypsum (non-alkaline) or amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP, alkaline) was investigated in this study for their distinctive impacts on membrane performance. The obtained results demonstrate that the coexistence of silica and Ca-based mineral salts in feedwaters significantly reduced water flux decline as compared to single type of Ca-based mineral salts. This antagonistic effect was primarily attributed to the silica-mediated alleviation of Ca-based mineral scaling. In the presence of silica, silica skins were immediately established around Ca-based mineral precipitates once they emerged. Sheathing by the siliceous skins hindered the aggregation and thus the morphological evolution of Ca-based mineral species. Unlike sulfate precipitates, ACP precipitates can induce the formation of dense and thick silica skins via an additional condensation reaction. Such a phenomenon rationalized the notion concerning a stronger mitigating effect of silica on ACP scaling than gypsum scaling. Meanwhile, coating by silica skins altered the surface chemistries of Ca-based mineral precipitates, which should be fully considered in regulating membrane surface properties for combined scaling control. Our findings advance the mechanistic understanding on combined mineral scaling of RO membranes, and may guide the appropriate design of membrane surface properties for scaling-resistant membrane tailored to brackish water desalination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Ge Lu
- College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Key Laboratory for Water and Sediment Science, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Shuanglong Ma
- College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Dangling Hua
- College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Hongen Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Chang Li
- College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Jia Song
- College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Haiou Huang
- Key Laboratory for Water and Sediment Science, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China; Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, The John Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Yuchen Qin
- College of Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
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13
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Thomas E, Lee JS, Shokrollahzadeh Behbahani H, Nazari A, Li Y, Yang Y, Green MD, Lind ML. Zwitterionic Copolymers for Anti-Scaling Applications in Simulated Spaceflight Wastewater Scenarios. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:18462-18471. [PMID: 37273630 PMCID: PMC10233662 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c08150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Water reclamation in spaceflight applications, such as those encountered on the International Space Station (ISS), requires complex engineering solutions to ensure maximum water recovery. Current vapor compression distillation (VCD) technologies are effective but produce highly concentrated brines and often cause scaling within a separation system. This work evaluates initial steps toward integrating pervaporation, a membrane separation process, as a brine management strategy for ISS wastewaters. Pervaporation performs separations driven by a chemical potential difference across the membrane created by either a sweep gas or a vacuum pull. Pervaporation membranes, as with most membrane processes, can be subject to scaling. Therefore, this work studies the anti-scaling properties of zwitterions (polymeric molecules with covalently tethered positive and negative ions) coated onto sulfonated pentablock terpolymer block polymer (Nexar) pervaporation membrane surfaces. We report a method for applying zwitterions to the surface of pervaporation membranes and the effect on performance parameters such as flux and scaling resistance. Membranes with zwitterions had up to 53% reduction in permeance but reduced scaling. The highest amount of scaling occurred in the samples exposed to calcium chloride, and uncoated membranes had weight percent increases as high as 1617 ± 241%, whereas zwitterion-coated membranes experienced only about 317 ± 87% weight increase in the presence of the same scalant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth
R. Thomas
- School
for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- NSF
Nanosystems Engineering Research Center Nanotechnology-Enabled Water
Treatment, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Jae Sang Lee
- School
for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | | | - Ani Nazari
- School
for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Yusi Li
- School
for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- NSF
Nanosystems Engineering Research Center Nanotechnology-Enabled Water
Treatment, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Yi Yang
- School
for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Matthew D. Green
- School
for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Mary Laura Lind
- School
for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- NSF
Nanosystems Engineering Research Center Nanotechnology-Enabled Water
Treatment, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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14
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Bañuelos JL, Borguet E, Brown GE, Cygan RT, DeYoreo JJ, Dove PM, Gaigeot MP, Geiger FM, Gibbs JM, Grassian VH, Ilgen AG, Jun YS, Kabengi N, Katz L, Kubicki JD, Lützenkirchen J, Putnis CV, Remsing RC, Rosso KM, Rother G, Sulpizi M, Villalobos M, Zhang H. Oxide- and Silicate-Water Interfaces and Their Roles in Technology and the Environment. Chem Rev 2023; 123:6413-6544. [PMID: 37186959 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Interfacial reactions drive all elemental cycling on Earth and play pivotal roles in human activities such as agriculture, water purification, energy production and storage, environmental contaminant remediation, and nuclear waste repository management. The onset of the 21st century marked the beginning of a more detailed understanding of mineral aqueous interfaces enabled by advances in techniques that use tunable high-flux focused ultrafast laser and X-ray sources to provide near-atomic measurement resolution, as well as by nanofabrication approaches that enable transmission electron microscopy in a liquid cell. This leap into atomic- and nanometer-scale measurements has uncovered scale-dependent phenomena whose reaction thermodynamics, kinetics, and pathways deviate from previous observations made on larger systems. A second key advance is new experimental evidence for what scientists hypothesized but could not test previously, namely, interfacial chemical reactions are frequently driven by "anomalies" or "non-idealities" such as defects, nanoconfinement, and other nontypical chemical structures. Third, progress in computational chemistry has yielded new insights that allow a move beyond simple schematics, leading to a molecular model of these complex interfaces. In combination with surface-sensitive measurements, we have gained knowledge of the interfacial structure and dynamics, including the underlying solid surface and the immediately adjacent water and aqueous ions, enabling a better definition of what constitutes the oxide- and silicate-water interfaces. This critical review discusses how science progresses from understanding ideal solid-water interfaces to more realistic systems, focusing on accomplishments in the last 20 years and identifying challenges and future opportunities for the community to address. We anticipate that the next 20 years will focus on understanding and predicting dynamic transient and reactive structures over greater spatial and temporal ranges as well as systems of greater structural and chemical complexity. Closer collaborations of theoretical and experimental experts across disciplines will continue to be critical to achieving this great aspiration.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Leobardo Bañuelos
- Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Eric Borguet
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Gordon E Brown
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Randall T Cygan
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - James J DeYoreo
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Patricia M Dove
- Department of Geosciences, Department of Chemistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Marie-Pierre Gaigeot
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CNRS, LAMBE UMR8587, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Franz M Geiger
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Julianne M Gibbs
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2Canada
| | - Vicki H Grassian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, United States
| | - Anastasia G Ilgen
- Geochemistry Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, United States
| | - Young-Shin Jun
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Nadine Kabengi
- Department of Geosciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, United States
| | - Lynn Katz
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - James D Kubicki
- Department of Earth, Environmental & Resource Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Johannes Lützenkirchen
- Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung─INE, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
| | - Christine V Putnis
- Institute for Mineralogy, University of Münster, Münster D-48149, Germany
| | - Richard C Remsing
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Kevin M Rosso
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Gernot Rother
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Marialore Sulpizi
- Department of Physics, Ruhr Universität Bochum, NB6, 65, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Mario Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y del Suelo, LANGEM, Instituto De Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Huichun Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
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15
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Tong T, Liu X, Li T, Park S, Anger B. A Tale of Two Foulants: The Coupling of Organic Fouling and Mineral Scaling in Membrane Desalination. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:7129-7149. [PMID: 37104038 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Membrane desalination that enables the harvesting of purified water from unconventional sources such as seawater, brackish groundwater, and wastewater has become indispensable to ensure sustainable freshwater supply in the context of a changing climate. However, the efficiency of membrane desalination is greatly constrained by organic fouling and mineral scaling. Although extensive studies have focused on understanding membrane fouling or scaling separately, organic foulants commonly coexist with inorganic scalants in the feedwaters of membrane desalination. Compared to individual fouling or scaling, combined fouling and scaling often exhibits different behaviors and is governed by foulant-scalant interactions, resembling more complex but practical scenarios than using feedwaters containing only organic foulants or inorganic scalants. In this critical review, we first summarize the performance of membrane desalination under combined fouling and scaling, involving mineral scales formed via both crystallization and polymerization. We then provide the state-of-the-art knowledge and characterization techniques pertaining to the molecular interactions between organic foulants and inorganic scalants, which alter the kinetics and thermodynamics of mineral nucleation as well as the deposition of mineral scales onto membrane surfaces. We further review the current efforts of mitigating combined fouling and scaling via membrane materials development and pretreatment. Finally, we provide prospects for future research needs that guide the design of more effective control strategies for combined fouling and scaling to improve the efficiency and resilience of membrane desalination for the treatment of feedwaters with complex compositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiezheng Tong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Xitong Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 20052, United States
| | - Tianshu Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 20052, United States
| | - Shinyun Park
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Bridget Anger
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 20052, United States
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16
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Hasanin G, Mosquera AM, Emwas AH, Altmann T, Das R, Buijs PJ, Vrouwenvelder JS, Gonzalez-Gil G. The microbial growth potential of antiscalants used in seawater desalination. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 233:119802. [PMID: 36871379 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
20 years since the first report on the biofouling potential of chemicals used for scale control, still, antiscalants with high bacterial growth potential are used in practice. Evaluating the bacterial growth potential of commercially available antiscalants is therefore essential for a rational selection of these chemicals. Previous antiscalant growth potential tests were conducted in drinking water or seawater inoculated with model bacterial species which do not represent natural bacterial communities. To reflect better on the conditions of desalination systems, we investigated the bacterial growth potential of eight different antiscalants in natural seawater and an autochthonous bacterial population as inoculum. The antiscalants differed strongly in their bacterial growth potential varying from ≤ 1 to 6 μg easily biodegradable C equivalents/mg antiscalant. The six phosphonate-based antiscalants investigated showed a broad range of growth potential, which depended on their chemical composition, whilst the biopolymer and the synthetic carboxylated polymers-based antiscalants showed limited or no significant bacterial growth. Moreover, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) scans enabled antiscalant fingerprinting, identifying components and contaminants, providing a rapid and sensitive characterization, and opening opportunities for rational selection of antiscalants for biofouling control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghadeer Hasanin
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ana Maria Mosquera
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul-Hamid Emwas
- Advanced Nanofabrication Imaging and Characterization, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thomas Altmann
- Innovation and New Technology, ACWA Power, 41st Floor, The One Tower, Barsha Heights, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ratul Das
- Innovation and New Technology, ACWA Power, 41st Floor, The One Tower, Barsha Heights, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Paulus J Buijs
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Johannes S Vrouwenvelder
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Graciela Gonzalez-Gil
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
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17
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An omniphobic membrane with macro-corrugation for the treatment of real pharmaceutical wastewater via membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2023.121582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
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18
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Zhou Y, Zhu Y, Zhu J, Li C, Chen G. A Comprehensive Review on Wastewater Nitrogen Removal and Its Recovery Processes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3429. [PMID: 36834120 PMCID: PMC9967642 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Discharging large amounts of domestic and industrial wastewater drastically increases the reactive nitrogen content in aquatic ecosystems, which causes severe ecological stress and biodiversity loss. This paper reviews three common types of denitrification processes, including physical, chemical, and biological processes, and mainly focuses on the membrane technology for nitrogen recovery. The applicable conditions and effects of various treatment methods, as well as the advantages, disadvantages, and influencing factors of membrane technologies, are summarized. Finally, it is proposed that developing effective combinations of different treatment methods and researching new processes with high efficiency, economy, and energy savings, such as microbial fuel cells and anaerobic osmotic membrane bioreactors, are the research and development directions of wastewater treatment processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yingying Zhu
- Faculty of Maritime and Transportation, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
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19
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Gryta M. The effects of fibers layer assembled on the capillary membranes applied for separation of brines by membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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20
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Yan H, Cao J, Teng M, Meng L, Zhao L, Chi X, Han Z, Tucker ME, Zhao H. Calcium ion removal at different sodium chloride concentrations by free and immobilized halophilic bacteria. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 229:119438. [PMID: 36470047 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Much attention has been paid to Ca2+ ion removal by biomineralization due to the dangers of Ca2+ on industrial processes and human health. However, Ca2+ removal from hypersaline water by biomineralization is quite difficult due to there being few halophilic bacteria tolerating higher salinities. In this study, free and immobilized Virgibacillus massiliensis C halophilic bacteria exhibiting carbonic anhydrase activity were used to remove Ca2+ ions from water at different NaCl concentrations. With increasing NaCl concentrations (10, 50, 100, 150 and 200 g/L), Ca2+ ion concentrations in the presence of free bacteria and in two groups of immobilized bacteria for a period of 6 days sharply decreased from 1200 mg/L to 219-562 mg/L, 71-214 mg/L and 21-159 mg/L, respectively; Ca2+ precipitation ratios were 55%-81%, 82%-94% and 87%-98%, respectively. The humic acid-like substances, protein, DNA and polysaccharide, released by the bacteria, promoted the Ca2+ ion removal. The immobilized bacteria were able to be recycled and precultured, which would save industry costs and increase Ca2+ ion removal efficiency. Biological processes for Ca2+ ion removal include cell surface, intracellular and extracellular biomineralization. The biogenesis of calcium carbonate was proved by SEM-EDS, FTIR, XPS and stable carbon isotope values. This study provides insights into the effective removal of Ca2+ ions by biomineralization in hypersaline water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaxiao Yan
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization and Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Jiahao Cao
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization and Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Minhan Teng
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization and Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Long Meng
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization and Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Lanmei Zhao
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization and Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Xiangqun Chi
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization and Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Zuozhen Han
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization and Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Center for Isotope Geochemistry and Geochronology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Maurice E Tucker
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK; Cabot Institute, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol, BS8 1UJ, UK
| | - Hui Zhao
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization and Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China.
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21
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Engineering omniphobic corrugated membranes for scaling mitigation in membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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22
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Chen Y, Cohen Y. Calcium Sulfate and Calcium Carbonate Scaling of Thin-Film Composite Polyamide Reverse Osmosis Membranes with Surface-Tethered Polyacrylic Acid Chains. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:1287. [PMID: 36557193 PMCID: PMC9783167 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12121287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The gypsum and calcite scaling propensities of the thin-film composite polyamide (PA-TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, modified with a tethered surface layer of polyacrylic acid (PAA) chains, was evaluated and compared to the scaling of selected commercial RO membranes. The tethered PAA layer was synthesized onto a commercial polyamide membrane (i.e., base-PA) via atmospheric pressure plasma-induced graft polymerization (APPIGP). The PAA nano-structured (SNS) base-PA membrane (SNS-PAA-PA) was scaled to a lesser degree, as quantified by a lower permeate flux decline and surface imaging, relative to the tested commercial membranes (Dow SW30, Toray SWRO, and BWRO). The cleaning of gypsum-scaled membranes with D.I. water flushing achieved 100% water permeability recovery for both the SNS-PAA-PA and Dow SW30 membranes, relative to 92-98% permeability restoration for the Toray membranes. The calcium carbonate scaling of SNS-PAA-PA membranes was also lower relative to the commercial membranes, but permeability recovery after D.I. water cleaning was somewhat lower (94%) but consistent with the level of surface scale coverage. In contrast, the calcite and gypsum-scaled membrane areas of the commercial membranes post-cleaning were significantly higher than for the SNS-PAA-PA membrane but with 100% permeability recovery, suggesting the potential for membrane damage when mineral scaling is severe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yian Chen
- Water Technology Research Center, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Renewable Resources & Enabling Science Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Yoram Cohen
- Water Technology Research Center, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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23
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Lester Y, Hazut A, Spanier A. Formation of Organic Fouling during Membrane Desalination: The Effect of Divalent Cations and the Use of an Online Visual Monitoring Method. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:1177. [PMID: 36557084 PMCID: PMC9783477 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12121177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Reverse osmosis (RO) is the most popular technology for brackish, seawater and wastewater desalination. An important drawback of RO is membrane fouling, which reduces filtration effectiveness and increase the cost of produced water. This study addresses two important topics of membrane fouling: (i) the impact of different divalent ions on the formation of organic fouling and (ii) online monitoring and prediction of fouling formation. In the absence of divalent ions, dissolved organic matter had little effect on fouling formation, even at 3.5 mgC/L, in the upper range of groundwater concentration. Calcium, strontium and iron enhanced (organic) fouling formation, whereas barium had negligible effect. However, while iron affected fouling throughout the entire tested range (0-0.5 mg/L), calcium and strontium enhanced organic fouling only at high concentrations: more than 140 mg/L and 10 mg/L for calcium and strontium, respectively. An online system was developed for monitoring the formation of organic fouling, consisting of (i) an ex-situ RO cell with a transparent cover, (ii) a video camera continually monitoring the surface of the membrane and (iii) an algorithm which automatically identified changes in the color of the membrane caused by fouling, using a specially designed membrane spacer with colored reference dots. Changes in the color of the membrane surface were normalized to the reference colors, to eliminate all non-fouling related interference. The system was used to record and analyze changes in membrane color during numerous filtration tests. The data was successfully correlated to changes in specific flux (and subsequently to fouling formation rate) and can be applied to monitor and predict the formation of membrane fouling during desalination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaal Lester
- Environmental Technologies, Department of Materials Engineering, Azrieli College of Engineering, Jerusalem 9103501, Israel
| | - Amit Hazut
- Environmental Technologies, Department of Materials Engineering, Azrieli College of Engineering, Jerusalem 9103501, Israel
| | - Assaf Spanier
- Department of Software Engineering, Azrieli College of Engineering, Jerusalem 9103501, Israel
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24
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Yin Y, Li T, Zuo K, Liu X, Lin S, Yao Y, Tong T. Which Surface Is More Scaling Resistant? A Closer Look at Nucleation Theories for Heterogeneous Gypsum Nucleation in Aqueous Solutions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:16315-16324. [PMID: 36305705 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Developing engineered surfaces with scaling resistance is an effective means to inhibit surface-mediated mineral scaling in various industries including desalination. However, contrasting results have been reported on the relationship between scaling potential and surface hydrophilicity. In this study, we combine a theoretical analysis with experimental investigation to clarify the effect of surface wetting property on heterogeneous gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) formation on surfaces immersed in aqueous solutions. Theoretical prediction derived from classical nucleation theory (CNT) indicates that an increase of surface hydrophobicity reduces scaling potential, which contrasts our experimental results that more hydrophilic surfaces are less prone to gypsum scaling. We further consider the possibility of nonclassical pathway of gypsum nucleation, which proceeds by the aggregation of precursor clusters of CaSO4. Accordingly, we investigate the affinity of CaSO4 to substrate surfaces of varied wetting properties via calculating the total free energy of interaction, with the results perfectly predicting experimental observations of surface scaling propensity. This indicates that the interactions between precursor clusters of CaSO4 and substrate surfaces might play an important role in regulating heterogeneous gypsum formation. Our findings provide evidence that CNT might not be applicable to describing gypsum scaling in aqueous solutions. The fundamental insights we reveal on gypsum scaling mechanisms have the potential to guide rational design of scaling-resistant engineered surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Yin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado80523, United States
| | - Tianshu Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia20052, United States
| | - Kuichang Zuo
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Science, Ministry of Education; College of Environment Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, China
| | - Xitong Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia20052, United States
| | - Shihong Lin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee37212, United States
| | - Yiqun Yao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado80523, United States
| | - Tiezheng Tong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado80523, United States
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25
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Shi D, Gong T, Qing W, Li X, Shao S. Unique Behaviors and Mechanism of Highly Soluble Salt-Induced Wetting in Membrane Distillation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14788-14796. [PMID: 36154007 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Scaling-induced wettinggreatly limits the application of membrane distillation (MD) for the desalination of high-salinity feed. Although highly soluble salts (e.g., NaCl) have high concentrations in this water, their scaling-induced wetting remains overlooked. To unravel the elusive wetting behaviors of highly soluble salts, in this study, we systematically investigated the scaling formation and wetting progress by in situ observation with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Through examining the influence of salt type and vapor flux on the wetting behavior, we revealed that highly soluble salt-induced wetting, especially under high vapor flux, shared several unique features: (1) occurring before the bulk feed reached saturation, (2) no scale layer formation observed, and (3) synchronized wetting progress on the millimeter scale. We demonstrated that a moving scale layer caused these interesting phenomena. The initial high vapor flux induced high concentration and temperature polarizations, which led to crystallization at the gas-liquid interface and the formation of an initial scale layer. On the one hand, this scale layer bridged the water into the hydrophobic pores; on the other hand, it blocked the membrane pores and reduced the vapor flux. In this way, the decreased vapor flux mitigated the concentration/temperature polarizations, and consequently led to the dissolution of the feed-facing side of the scale layer. This dissolution prevented the membrane pores from being completely blocked, facilitating the transportation and crystallization of salts at the distillate-facing side of the scale layer (i.e., the gas-liquid interface), thus the proceeding of the wetting layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danting Shi
- School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P. R. China
| | - Tengjing Gong
- School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P. R. China
| | - Weihua Qing
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Xianhui Li
- Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Senlin Shao
- School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P. R. China
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26
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Sulfonated polymer coating enhances selective removal of calcium in membrane capacitive deionization. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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27
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Optimization of Polyacrylic Acid Coating on Graphene Oxide-Functionalized Reverse-Osmosis Membrane Using UV Radiation through Response Surface Methodology. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14183711. [PMID: 36145856 PMCID: PMC9505122 DOI: 10.3390/polym14183711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Reverse osmosis (RO) is affected by multiple types of fouling such as biofouling, scaling, and organic fouling. Therefore, a multi-functional membrane capable of reducing more than one type of fouling is a need of the hour. The polyacrylic acid and graphene oxide (PAA-GO) nanocomposite functionalization of the RO membrane has shown its effectiveness against both mineral scaling and biofouling. In this research, the polyacrylic acid concentration and irradiation times were optimized for the PAA-GO-coated RO membrane using the response surface methodology (RSM) approach. The effect of these parameters on pure water permeability and salt rejection was investigated. The models were developed through the design of the experiment (DoE), which were further validated through the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimum conditions were found to be: 11.41 mg·L−1 (acrylic acid concentration) and 28.08 min (UV activation times) with the predicted results of 2.12 LMH·bar−1 and 98.5% NaCl rejection. The optimized membrane was prepared as per the model conditions, which showed an increase in both pure water permeability and salt rejection as compared to the control. The improvement in membrane surface smoothness and hydrophilicity for the optimized membrane also helped to inhibit mineral scaling by 98%.
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28
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Tan G, Xu D, Zhu Z, Zhang X, Li J. Tailoring pore size and interface of superhydrophobic nanofibrous membrane for robust scaling resistance and flux enhancement in membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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29
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Pervov A. Investigation of Scaling and Inhibition Mechanisms in Reverse Osmosis Spiral Wound Elements. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:852. [PMID: 36135871 PMCID: PMC9505956 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12090852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Understanding of crystal formation and growth conditions in reverse osmosis membrane channels enables us to develop efficient tools to control scaling in membrane facilities and increase their recoveries. Crystals are formed in "dead areas" and subsequently get out of them and sediment on membrane surface. Adsorption of polymeric inhibitor molecules to crystal surface was investigated as well as antiscalant behaviour throughout nucleation in "dead areas" and growth of crystals sedimented on membrane surface. Experimental dependencies of antiscalant adsorption rates on the antiscalant dosage values were determined. Examination of SEM images of crystals demonstrated that their size and amount depend on the supersaturation value reached in the "dead areas". More efficient antiscalants delay the beginning of nucleation and reduce the rate of crystal growth due to adsorption and blockage of crystal growth process. Antiscaling property of inhibitors is also attributed to their ability to provide certain amount of adsorbent to block crystal growth during nucleation. A test procedure is described that enables us to predict concentrate composition in the "dead areas" and calculate supersaturation values that correspond to beginning of nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Pervov
- Department of Water Supply and Sewage, Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, 26, Yaroslaskoye Highway, 129337 Moscow, Russia
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30
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Liu YJ, Lu YN, Liang DQ, Hu YS, Huang YX. Multi-Layered Branched Surface Fluorination on PVDF Membrane for Anti-Scaling Membrane Distillation. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12080743. [PMID: 36005658 PMCID: PMC9416731 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12080743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Membrane distillation (MD) has emerged as a promising technology for hypersaline wastewater treatment. However, membrane scaling is still a critical issue for common hydrophobic MD membranes. Herein, we report a multi-layered surface modification strategy on the commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane via plasma treatment and surface fluorination cycles. The repeated plasma treatment process generates more reaction sites for the fluorination reaction, leading to higher fluorination density and more branched structures. MD tests with CaSO4 as the scaling agent show that the modification strategy mentioned above improves the membrane scaling resistance. Notably, the PVDF membrane treated with three cycles of plasma and fluorination treatments exhibits the best anti-scaling performance while maintaining almost the same membrane flux as the unmodified PVDF membrane. This study suggests that a highly branched surface molecular structure with low surface energy benefits the MD process in both membrane flux and scaling resistance. Besides, our research demonstrates a universal and facile approach for membrane treatment to improve membrane scaling resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jing Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; (Y.-J.L.); (Y.-N.L.); (D.-Q.L.); (Y.-S.H.)
| | - Yan-Nan Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; (Y.-J.L.); (Y.-N.L.); (D.-Q.L.); (Y.-S.H.)
| | - Dong-Qing Liang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; (Y.-J.L.); (Y.-N.L.); (D.-Q.L.); (Y.-S.H.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yin-Shuang Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; (Y.-J.L.); (Y.-N.L.); (D.-Q.L.); (Y.-S.H.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yu-Xi Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; (Y.-J.L.); (Y.-N.L.); (D.-Q.L.); (Y.-S.H.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Correspondence:
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31
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Combined iron oxides and gypsum fouling of reverse osmosis membranes during desalination process. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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32
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Cao T, Rolf J, Wang Z, Violet C, Elimelech M. Distinct impacts of natural organic matter and colloidal particles on gypsum crystallization. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 218:118500. [PMID: 35512535 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Gypsum scaling via crystallization is a major obstacle limiting the applications of membrane-based technologies and heat exchangers in engineered systems. Herein, we perform the first comparative investigation on the impacts of natural organic matter (Suwannee River humic acid, SRHA) and colloidal particles on the gypsum crystallization process in terms of induction time and crystal morphology. Results show that the presence of SRHA significantly increases the induction time of gypsum crystallization. Specifically, at a solution saturation index of 4.92, the induction time increases 6.5-fold in the presence of 6 mg/L SRHA, compared to the case without SRHA. SRHA also alters the morphology of the formed calcium sulfate crystals, resulting in a polygon-like shape, differing from the characteristic needle-like shape of gypsum in the absence of additives. These changes in crystal morphology are attributed to the adsorption of SRHA on the gypsum crystal surface, blocking the active sites for gypsum growth. In contrast, in the presence of colloidal particles, the observed induction time of gypsum crystallization either decreases or increases, depending on the competitive interplay between the enhancement effect in the nucleation step and the inhibition effect in the subsequent crystal growth step. Furthermore, the formed gypsum crystals in the presence of colloidal particles exhibit a needle-like morphology similar to the crystals formed in the absence of any additives. Our study provides fundamental understanding of gypsum crystallization in feedwaters containing natural organic matter and colloidal particles, highlighting the importance of feedwater composition in gypsum scaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchi Cao
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Julianne Rolf
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Zhangxin Wang
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Camille Violet
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States.
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33
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Rolf J, Cao T, Huang X, Boo C, Li Q, Elimelech M. Inorganic Scaling in Membrane Desalination: Models, Mechanisms, and Characterization Methods. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:7484-7511. [PMID: 35666637 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c01858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Inorganic scaling caused by precipitation of sparingly soluble salts at supersaturation is a common but critical issue, limiting the efficiency of membrane-based desalination and brine management technologies as well as other engineered systems. A wide range of minerals including calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and silica precipitate during membrane-based desalination, limiting water recovery and reducing process efficiency. The economic impact of scaling on desalination processes requires understanding of its sources, causes, effects, and control methods. In this Critical Review, we first describe nucleation mechanisms and crystal growth theories, which are fundamental to understanding inorganic scale formation during membrane desalination. We, then, discuss the key mechanisms and factors that govern membrane scaling, including membrane properties, such as surface roughness, charge, and functionality, as well as feedwater characteristics, such as pH, temperature, and ionic strength. We follow with a critical review of current characterization techniques for both homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation, focusing on the strengths and limitations of each technique to elucidate scale-inducing mechanisms, observe actual crystal growth, and analyze the outcome of scaling behaviors of desalination membranes. We conclude with an outlook on research needs and future research directions to provide guidelines for scale mitigation in water treatment and desalination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Rolf
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Tianchi Cao
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Xiaochuan Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, MS-519, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), Rice University, MS 6398, 6100 Main Street, Houston 77005, United States
| | - Chanhee Boo
- Water Cycle Research Center, National Agenda Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Qilin Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, MS-519, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), Rice University, MS 6398, 6100 Main Street, Houston 77005, United States
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
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34
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Aftab B, Truong HB, Cho J, Hur J. Enhanced performance of a direct contact membrane distillation system via in-situ thermally activated H2O2 oxidation for the treatment of landfill leachate. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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35
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Gypsum scaling mechanisms on hydrophobic membranes and its mitigation strategies in membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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36
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Sun L, Lin W, Wu X, Cabrera J, Chen D, Huang X. Deciphering the spatial fouling characteristics of reverse osmosis membranes for coal chemical wastewater treatment. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.120456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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37
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Abstract
Oil and gas production wells generate large volumes of water mixed with hydrocarbons (dispersed and dissolved), salts (ions), and solids. This ‘produced water’ (PW) is a waste stream that must be disposed of appropriately. The presence of toxic hydrocarbons and ions in PW makes it unsuitable for surface discharge or disposal in groundwater resources. Thus, PW is often injected into deep geological formations as a disposal method. However, the supply of global water sources is diminishing, and the demand for water in industrial, domestic, and agricultural use in water-stressed regions makes PW a potentially attractive resource. PW also contains valuable elements like lithium and rare earth elements, which are increasing in global demand. This review article provides an overview of constituents present in PW, current technologies available to remove and recover valuable elements, and a case study highlighting the costs and economic benefits of recovering these valuable elements. PW contains a promising source of valuable elements. Developing technologies, such as ceramic membranes with selective sorption chemistry could make elemental recovery economically feasible and turn PW from a waste stream into a multi-faceted resource.
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38
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Yin Y, Kalam S, Livingston JL, Minjarez R, Lee J, Lin S, Tong T. The use of anti-scalants in gypsum scaling mitigation: Comparison with membrane surface modification and efficiency in combined reverse osmosis and membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.120077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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39
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Wang P, Cheng W, Zhang X, Liu Q, Li J, Ma J, Zhang T. Membrane Scaling and Wetting in Membrane Distillation: Mitigation Roles Played by Humic Substances. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:3258-3266. [PMID: 35148061 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Membrane scaling and wetting severely hinder practical applications of membrane distillation (MD) for hypersaline water/wastewater treatment. In this regard, the effects of feedwater constituents are still not well understood. Herein, we investigated how humic acid (HA) influenced gypsum-induced membrane scaling and wetting during MD desalination. At low concentrations (5-20 mg L-1), HA notably mitigated membrane scaling and wetting. The morphological characterization of scaled membranes revealed that the antiwetting behavior could be ascribed to the formation of a compact and protective gypsum/HA scale layer, which blocked the flow channel of scaling ions and suppressed the intrusion of scale particles into membrane pores. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the scaling process, the formation of the scale layer was related to the heterogeneous crystallization of gypsum on the membrane surface. Moreover, deprotonated HA interfered with the heterogeneous crystallization process by inhibiting the formation of gypsum nuclei and altering the orientation of crystal growth, thus delaying membrane scaling and altering the morphology of the scale layer. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses further demonstrated the mitigation mechanism of HA. Furthermore, improved fouling reversibility and antiwetting ability in synthetic seawater treatment endowed by HA were observed. This study provides new insight into the roles played by the organic constituents of water/wastewater during membrane desalination, providing a valuable reference for developing novel strategies to improve the performance of MD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peizhi Wang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Application and Environmental Pollution Control, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xiaolei Zhang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Application and Environmental Pollution Control, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qianliang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Engineering and Technology of College of Heilongjiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Ji Li
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Application and Environmental Pollution Control, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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40
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Mitigating membrane wetting in the treatment of unconventional oil and gas wastewater by membrane distillation: A comparison of pretreatment with omniphobic membrane. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.120198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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41
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Uwayid R, Guyes EN, Shocron AN, Gilron J, Elimelech M, Suss ME. Perfect divalent cation selectivity with capacitive deionization. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 210:117959. [PMID: 34942526 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging membraneless water desalination technology based on storing ions in charged electrodes by electrosorption. Due to unique selectivity mechanisms, CDI has been investigated towards ion-selective separations such as water softening, nutrient recovery, and production of irrigation water. Especially promising is the use of activated microporous carbon electrodes due to their low cost and wide availability at commercial scales. We show here, both theoretically and experimentally, that sulfonated activated carbon electrodes enable the first demonstration of perfect divalent cation selectivity in CDI, where we define "perfect" as significant removal of the divalent cation with zero removal of the competing monovalent cation. For example, for a feedwater of 15 mM NaCl and 3 mM CaCl2, and charging from 0.4 V to 1.2 V, we show our cell can remove 127 μmol per gram carbon of divalent Ca2+, while slightly expelling competing monovalent Na+ (-13.2 μmol/g). This separation can be achieved with excellent efficiency, as we show both theoretically and experimentally a calcium charge efficiency above unity, and an experimental energy consumption of less than 0.1 kWh/m3. We further demonstrate a low-infrastructure technique to measure cation selectivity, using ion-selective electrodes and the extended Onsager-Fuoss model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Uwayid
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eric N Guyes
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amit N Shocron
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Jack Gilron
- The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, United States
| | - Matthew E Suss
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Wolfson Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Grand Technion Energy Program, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
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42
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Wang R, Zhang J, Tang CY, Lin S. Understanding Selectivity in Solute-Solute Separation: Definitions, Measurements, and Comparability. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:2605-2616. [PMID: 35072469 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The development of membranes capable of precise solute-solute separation is still in its burgeoning stage without a standardized protocol for evaluating selectivity. Three types of membrane processes with different driving forces, including pressure-driven filtration, concentration difference-driven diffusion, and electric field-driven ion migration, have been applied in this study to characterize solute-solute selectivity of a commercial nanofiltration membrane. Our results demonstrated that selectivity values measured using different methods, or even different conditions with the same method, are generally not comparable. The cross-method incomparability is true for both apparent selectivity, defined as the ratio between concentration-normalized fluxes, and the more intrinsic selectivity, defined as the ratio between the permeabilities of solutes through the active separation layer. The difference in selectivity measured using different methods possibly stems from the fundamental differences in the driving force of ion transport, the effect of water transport, and the interaction between cations and anions. We further demonstrated the difference in selectivity measured using feed solutions containing single-salt species and that containing mixed salts. A consistent protocol with standardized testing conditions to facilitate fair performance comparison between studies is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1831, United States
| | - Junwei Zhang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Chuyang Y Tang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Shihong Lin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1831, United States
- Department of Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1831, United States
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43
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Li H, Feng H, Li M, Zhang X. Engineering a covalently constructed superomniphobic membrane for robust membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.120124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Han M, Zhao R, Shi J, Li X, He D, Liu L, Han L. Membrane Distillation Hybrid Peroxydisulfate Activation toward Mitigating the Membrane Wetting by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12020164. [PMID: 35207085 PMCID: PMC8875670 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12020164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The fouling/wetting of hydrophobic membrane caused by organic substances with low-surface energy substantially limits the development of the membrane distillation (MD) process. The sulfate radical (SO4 ·−)-based advanced oxidation process (AOP) has been a promising technology to degrade organics in wastewater treatment, and peroxydisulfate (PDS) could be efficiently activated by heat. Thus, a hybrid process of MD-AOP via PDS activated by a hot feed was hypothesized to mitigate membrane fouling/wetting. Experiments dealing with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) containing a salty solution via two commercial membranes (PVDF and PTFE) were performed, and varying membrane wetting extents in the coupling process were discussed at different PDS concentrations and feed temperatures. Our results demonstrated permeate flux decline and a rise in conductivity due to membrane wetting by SDS, which was efficiently alleviated in the hybrid process rather than the standalone MD process. Moreover, such a mitigation was enhanced by a higher PDS concentration up to 5 mM and higher feed temperature. In addition, qualitative characterization on membrane coupons wetted by SDS was successfully performed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS results implied both types of hydrophobic membranes were protected from losing their hydrophobicity in the presence of PDS activation, agreeing with our initial hypothesis. This work could provide insight into future fouling/wetting control strategies for hydrophobic membranes and facilitate the development of an MD process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minyuan Han
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China; (M.H.); (R.Z.)
| | - Ruixue Zhao
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China; (M.H.); (R.Z.)
| | - Jianchao Shi
- School of Civil Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China;
| | - Xiaobo Li
- Animal Husbandry Service of Chongqing, Chongqing 401121, China; (X.L.); (D.H.)
| | - Daoling He
- Animal Husbandry Service of Chongqing, Chongqing 401121, China; (X.L.); (D.H.)
| | - Lang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China;
| | - Le Han
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China; (M.H.); (R.Z.)
- Correspondence:
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Water Flux Prediction in Direct Contact Membrane Distillation Subject to Inorganic Fouling. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12020157. [PMID: 35207078 PMCID: PMC8879881 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12020157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater is a limited resource, which has driven the development of new purification and water-reuse technologies. One promising technology for water treatment is membrane distillation (MD). One of the main problems of MD, and of many desalination technologies, is membrane fouling, which reduces the performance of the membrane. This work presents a mathematical model that aims to predict distillate fluxes in direct-contact MD when fouling occurs as salts are deposited onto the membrane surface, forming an inorganic fouling layer. The mathematical model uses a heat- and mass-transfer formulation for prediction of the distillate flux under steady state conditions, and it is combined with the cake-filtration theory to represent the distillate fluxes after the onset of membrane fouling. Model results agree well with experimental observation of distillate fluxes, both before (~12–14 kg m−2 h−1) and after the onset of membrane fouling, with root-mean-square errors smaller than 1.4 kg m−2 h−1 in all the experiments. These results suggest that the cake-filtration theory can be used to represent water flux decline in MD membranes prone to inorganic fouling. From our experiments and from the modelling exercise, we found that the onset of membrane failure was relatively constant; the precipitation reaction constant is conditioned by the physicochemical interaction between the feed solution and the membrane; and the rate of flux decline after membrane fouling depends on flow conditions as well as on the precipitation compound. However, the proposed model has limitations that must be addressed in future investigations to validate it under a wider range of operating conditions, for membranes composed by other materials and with different feed solutions to address organic, biological, and/or colloidal fouling, which typically occur under real conditions.
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Liu Y, Horseman T, Wang Z, Arafat HA, Yin H, Lin S, He T. Negative Pressure Membrane Distillation for Excellent Gypsum Scaling Resistance and Flux Enhancement. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:1405-1412. [PMID: 34941244 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Membrane distillation (MD) has potential to become a competitive technology for managing hypersaline brine but not until the critical challenge of mineral scaling is addressed. The state-of-the-art approach for mitigating mineral scaling in MD involves the use of superhydrophobic membranes that are difficult to fabricate and are commercially unavailable. This study explores a novel operational strategy, namely, negative pressure direct contact membrane distillation (NP-DCMD) that can minimize mineral scaling with commercially available hydrophobic membranes and at the same time enhance the water vapor flux substantially. By applying a negative gauge pressure on the feed stream, NP-DCMD achieved prolonged resistance to CaSO4 scaling and a dramatic vapor flux enhancement up to 62%. The exceptional scaling resistance is attributable to the formation of a concave liquid-gas under a negative pressure that changes the position of the water-air interface to hinder interfacial nucleation and crystal growth. The substantial flux enhancement is caused by the reduced molecular diffusion resistance within the pores and the enhanced heat transfer kinetics across the boundary layer in NP-DCMD. Achieving substantial performance improvement in both the scaling resistance and vapor flux with commercial membranes, NP-DCMD is a significant innovation with vast potential for practical adoption due to its simplicity and effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Liu
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
- Center for Membrane and Advanced Water Technology, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
| | - Thomas Horseman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1831, United States
| | - Zhangxin Wang
- Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watershed, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hassan A Arafat
- Center for Membrane and Advanced Water Technology, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
| | - Huabing Yin
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, U.K
| | - Shihong Lin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1831, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1831, United States
| | - Tao He
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
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Wang M, Cao B, Hu Y, Rodrigues DF. Mineral Scaling on Reverse Osmosis Membranes: Role of Mass, Orientation, and Crystallinity on Permeability. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:16110-16119. [PMID: 34788020 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Prior mineral scaling investigations mainly studied the effects of membrane surface properties rather than on the mineral properties and their impact on membrane permeability. In our study, mass, crystal growth orientation, and crystallinity of mineral precipitates on membranes, as well as their effects on membrane permeability have been investigated. Gypsum scaling tests on bare and bovine serum albumin (BSA)-conditioned membranes were conducted under different saturation indices. Results show that a longer scaling period was required for BSA-conditioned membranes to reach the same membrane permeate flux decline as bare membranes. Though the final reduced permeability was the same for both two membranes, the masses of the mineral precipitates on BSA-conditioned membranes were around two times more than those on bare membranes. Further mineral characterizations confirmed that different permeability decay rates of both types of the membrane were attributed to the differences in growth orientations rather than amounts of gypsum precipitates. Moreover, BSA-conditioned layers with high carboxylic density and specific molecular structure could stabilize bassanite and disrupt the oriented growth to inhibit the formation of needle-like gypsum crystals as observed on bare membranes, thus resulting in lower surface coverage with scales on membranes and alleviating the detrimental scaling effect on membrane permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
| | - Bo Cao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
| | - Yandi Hu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Debora F Rodrigues
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
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Ma W, Lu X, Guan YF, Elimelech M. Joule-Heated Layered Double Hydroxide Sponge for Rapid Removal of Silica from Water. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:16130-16142. [PMID: 34813327 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved silica is a major concern for a variety of industrial processes owing to its tendency to form complex scales that severely deteriorate system performance. In this work, we present a pretreatment technology using a Joule-heated sponge to rapidly remove silica from saline waters through adsorption, thereby effectively mitigating silica scaling in subsequent membrane desalination processes. The adsorbent sponge is fabricated by functionalizing two-dimensional layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets on a porous, conductive stainless-steel sponge. With the application of an external voltage of 4 V, the Joule-heated sponge achieves 85% silica removal and 95% sponge regeneration within 15 min, which is much more efficient than its counterpart without Joule-heating (360 min for silica adsorption and 90 min for sponge regeneration). Material characterization and reaction kinetics analysis reveal that electrostatic interactions and "memory effect"-induced intercalation are the primary mechanisms for silica removal by the LDH nanosheets. Moreover, Joule-heating reduces the boundary layer resistance on nanosheets and facilitates intraparticle diffusion of dissolved silica, thereby increasing silica removal kinetics. Joule-heating also enhances the release of silicate ions during the regeneration stage through exchange with the surrounding anions (OH- or CO32-), resulting in a more efficient sponge regeneration. Pretreatment of silica-rich feedwaters by the Joule-heated sponge effectively reduces reverse osmosis membrane scaling by amorphous silica scale, demonstrating great potential for silica scaling control in a broad range of engineered processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Ma
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Xinglin Lu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yan-Fang Guan
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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49
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Li X, Wang Z, Han X, Liu Y, Wang C, Yan F, Wang J. Regulating the interfacial polymerization process toward high-performance polyamide thin-film composite reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes: A review. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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50
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Zhao Y, Qiu Y, Mamrol N, Ren L, Li X, Shao J, Yang X, van der Bruggen B. Membrane bioreactors for hospital wastewater treatment: recent advancements in membranes and processes. Front Chem Sci Eng 2021; 16:634-660. [PMID: 34849268 PMCID: PMC8617552 DOI: 10.1007/s11705-021-2107-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Discharged hospital wastewater contains various pathogenic microorganisms, antibiotic groups, toxic organic compounds, radioactive elements, and ionic pollutants. These contaminants harm the environment and human health causing the spread of disease. Thus, effective treatment of hospital wastewater is an urgent task for sustainable development. Membranes, with controllable porous and nonporous structures, have been rapidly developed for molecular separations. In particular, membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology demonstrated high removal efficiency toward organic compounds and low waste sludge production. To further enhance the separation efficiency and achieve material recovery from hospital waste streams, novel concepts of MBRs and their applications are rapidly evolved through hybridizing novel membranes (non hydrophilic ultrafiltration/microfiltration) into the MBR units (hybrid MBRs) or the MBR as a pretreatment step and integrating other membrane processes as subsequent secondary purification step (integrated MBR-membrane systems). However, there is a lack of reviews on the latest advancement in MBR technologies for hospital wastewater treatment, and analysis on its major challenges and future trends. This review started with an overview of main pollutants in common hospital waste-water, followed by an understanding on the key performance indicators/criteria in MBR membranes (i.e., solute selectivity) and processes (e.g., fouling). Then, an in-depth analysis was provided into the recent development of hybrid MBR and integrated MBR-membrane system concepts, and applications correlated with wastewater sources, with a particular focus on hospital wastewaters. It is anticipated that this review will shed light on the knowledge gaps in the field, highlighting the potential contribution of hybrid MBRs and integrated MBR-membrane systems toward global epidemic prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yangbo Qiu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240 China
| | - Natalie Mamrol
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Longfei Ren
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240 China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jiahui Shao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240 China
| | - Xing Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
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