"High pressure membrane processes, using spiral-wound membranes, are increasingly used in water treatment, desalination of seawater, in wastewater reclamation and for industrial processes to achieve water of a high quality. Membrane fouling is a major cause of operational problems, and biofouling in particular is commonly occurring in membrane installations despite decades of research and improvements in pre-treatment and maintenance." -- Exec summary.
The study of membrane biofouling has increased strongly in the past four years, compared to the previous twenty two years, indicated by the more than doubling of the number of scientific papers. However, no single source gives an updated overview of biofouling. Biofouling of Spiral Wound Membrane Systems gives a complete and comprehensive overview of all aspects of biofouling, bridging the gap between microbiology, hydraulics and membrane technology. High quality drinking water can be produced with membrane filtration processes like reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF). As the global demand for fresh clean water is increasing, these membrane technologies are increasingly important. One of the most serious problems in RO/NF applications is biofouling – excessive growth of biomass – affecting the performance of the RO/NF systems. This can be due to the increase in pressure drop across membrane elements (feed-concentrate channel), the decrease in membrane permeability or the increase in salt passage. These phenomena result in the need to increase the feed pressure to maintain constant production and to clean the membrane elements chemically. Biofouling of Spiral Wound Membrane Systems relates biomass accumulation in spiral wound RO and NF membrane elements with membrane performance and hydrodynamics and determines parameters influencing biofouling. It focuses on the development of biomass in the feed-concentrate (feed-spacer) channel and its effect on pressure drop and flow distribution. It can be used to develop an integral strategy to control biofouling in spiral wound membrane systems. Most past and present methods to control biofouling have not been very successful. An overview of several potential complementary approaches to solve biofouling is given and an integrated approach for biofouling control is proposed.
This ready reference on Membrane Technologies for Water Treatment, is an invaluable source detailing sustainable, emerging processes, to provide clean, energy saving and cost effective alternatives to conventional processes. The editors are internationally renowned leaders in the field, who have put together a first-class team of authors from academia and industry to present a highly approach to the subject. The book is an instrumental tool for Process Engineers, Chemical Engineers, Process Control Technicians, Water Chemists, Environmental Chemists, Materials Scientists and Patent Lawyers.
Because of the uneven distribution of fresh water in time and space and the increasing human population, a large number of regions are experiencing water scarcity and stress. Membrane-based desalination technologies like reverse osmosis have the potential to solve the fresh water crisis in coastal areas. However, in many cases membrane performance is restricted by biofouling. Biofouling of Membrane Systems gives a comprehensive overview on the state of the art strategies to control biofouling in spiral wound reverse osmosis membrane systems and point to possible future research directions. Despite the fact that much research and development has been done to overcome biofouling in spiral wound membrane systems used for water treatment, biofouling is still a major practical problem causing performance decline and increased energy demand. Biofouling of Membrane Systems is divided into three sections including modelling and numerical analysis, non-destructive characterization and feed spacer geometry optimization. It focuses on the development of biomass in the feed channel of the membrane module and its effect on pressure drop and hydrodynamics. This book can be used to develop an integral strategy to control biofouling in spiral wound membrane systems. An overview of several potential complementary approaches to solve biofouling is given and an integrated approach for biofouling control and feed spacer design is proposed.
In this essential new volume, Volume 13: Membrane and Desalination Technologies, a panel of expert researchers provide a wealth of information on membrane and desalination technologies. An advanced chemical and environmental engineering textbook as well as a comprehensive reference book, this volume is of high value to advanced graduate and undergraduate students, researchers, scientists, and designers of water and wastewater treatment systems. This is an essential part of the Handbook of Environmental Engineering series, an incredible collection of methodologies that study the effects of pollution and waste in their three basic forms: gas, solid, and liquid. Chapters adopt the series format, employing methods of practical design and calculation illustrated by numerical examples, including pertinent cost data whenever possible, and exploring in great detail the fundamental principles of the field. Volume 13: Membrane and Desalination Technologies is an essential guide for researchers, highlighting the latest developments in principles of membrane technology, membrane systems planning and design, industrial and municipal waste treatments, desalination requirements, wastewater reclamation, biofiltration, and more.
Antibiofouling Membranes for Water and Wastewater Treatment: Principles and Applications covers most recent advances, challenges, and industrial applications of antibiofouling membranes to help in reducing cost and increasing sustainability of long term-filtration performance of membranes in water and wastewater treatment. This book will provide a compact source of relevant and timely information on antibiofouling membranes and will be of great interest to scientists, engineers, industry R&D personnel, and graduate students engaged in the development, engineering scale-up, and applications of antibiofouling membranes, as well as other readers who are interested in microfiltration, membrane bioreactor, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and related topics. Covers scientific and engineering principles of antibiofouling membranes for water and wastewater treatment Unravels the structure-preparation-property-application relationship of antibiofouling membranes Provides advanced design strategies of antibiofouling membrane materials Summarizes and critically discusses antibiofouling membrane materials based on biocidal nanomaterials and quaternary ammonium compounds Focuses on the state-of-the-art applications of antibiofouling membranes for water and wastewater treatment
This book analyses the sustainability of membrane operations applied on an industrial scale, as well as that of those under investigation on lab/pilot scales, covering also the preparation of both polymeric and inorganic membranes. It presents reverse osmosis in desalination, membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment and pressure-driven industrial wastewater treatment in agrofood and textile fields as examples of industrial membrane operations. Regarding the membrane processes still on a lab/pilot scale, the analysis includes membrane operations for the recovery of valuable products from wastewater streams, for the removal of toxic compounds from water/wastewater, and for zero liquid discharge approaches in desalination. The book offers a useful guide for scientists and engineers working in various fields, including membrane technology, separation, desalination, and wastewater treatment. Alberto Figoli and Alessandra Criscuoli are both Senior Researchers at the Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), Italy.
Bacteria and fungi are able to aggregate together or on surfaces in densely packed microcolonies, facilitated by extracellular polymeric substances for cell protection and stability. These biofilms have proven to be extremely hard to eradicate and remove once established. In chronic infections, this condition can result in a high degree of morbidity and mortality as regular antibiotic treatments are ineffective against biofilms. In industrial facilities, the formation of biofilms can ruin production and result in enormous financial losses. In this book, the current state of antibiofilm research is presented by experts from around the world. Novel, cutting-edge techniques and new optimized strategies based on established methods are discussed in chapters focused on biofilm prevention, treatment and control for the application in clinical, industrial and veterinary settings. Antibiofilm strategies, such as chemical and enzymatic treatments, surface modification and coatings, quorum sensing inhibition and dispersal induction, phage therapy, cold plasma treatment, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and metal-based nanomedicine are covered, among many others. This book contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being and is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, microbiologists, academics and for educators to inform curricula of universities and colleges.
The Perfect Slime presents the latest state of knowledge and all aspects of the Extracellular Polymeric Substances, (EPS) matrix – from the ecological and health to the antifouling perspectives. The book brings together all the current material in order to expand our understanding of the functions, properties and characteristics of the matrix as well as the possibilities to strengthen or weaken it. The EPS matrix represents the immediate environment in which biofilm organisms live. From their point of view, this matrix has paramount advantages. It allows them to stay together for extended periods and form synergistic microconsortia, it retains extracellular enzymes and turns the matrix into an external digestion system and it is a universal recycling yard, it protects them against desiccation, it allows for intense communication and represents a huge genetic archive. They can remodel their matrix, break free and eventually, they can use it as a nutrient source. The EPS matrix can be considered as one of the emergent properties of biofilms and are a major reason for the success of this form of life. Nevertheless, they have been termed the “black matter of biofilms” for good reasons. First of all: the isolation methods define the results. In most cases, only water soluble EPS components are investigated; insoluble ones such as cellulose or amyloids are much less included. In particular in environmental biofilms with many species, it is difficult to impossible isolate, separate the various EPS molecules they are encased in and to define which species produced which EPS. The regulation and the factors which trigger or inhibit EPS production are still very poorly understood. Furthermore: bacteria are not the only microorganisms to produce EPS. Archaea, Fungi and algae can also form EPS. This book investigates the questions, What is their composition, function, dynamics and regulation? What do they all have in common?
