A multi-spectral approach to differentiate the effects of adsorbent pretreatments on the characteristics of NOM and membrane fouling

• Both pretreatments can remove DOC, UV-absorbing molecules and high-AMW fractions.
• Pre-deposited HAOPs layer removed more chromophores and low-AMW material.
• Pre-deposition is superior in mitigating membrane fouling and reducing DPB formation.
• Key foulants comprise a small portion of the NOM and most can be retained by HAOPs.

Pretreatment of feed water is widely applied to mitigate NOM-induced fouling of low-pressure membranes. This research investigated the effectiveness of two pretreatment modes for NOM removal by heated aluminum oxide particles (HAOPs) and the associated reductions in membrane fouling and trihalomethane (THM) formation potential. One mode, referred to here as pre-adsorption, is the conventional process in which adsorbent particles are added to and thoroughly mixed with the feed, after which the particles are separated from the water either upstream of or by the membrane. By contrast, in the pre-deposition mode, a thin layer of adsorbent particles is deposited on a support media (which could be the membrane) prior to passing feed through the layer and the membrane.Although both pretreatment methods remove similar amounts of DOC at the same adsorbent dose, pre-deposition is superior with respect to mitigating membrane fouling and reducing DBP formation. UV and fluorescence spectroscopy and HPSEC analysis indicate that a pre-deposited adsorbent layer removes more chromophores and low apparent molecular weight (AMW) material than pre-adsorption does. Based on absorbance ratios at selected wavelengths, a pre-deposited HAOPs layer removes more aromatic moieties than aliphatic carboxyls, especially at higher HAOPs doses. In addition, pre-deposition is more effective than pre-adsorption at reducing the THM formation potential. The results provide new insights into the interactions between HAOPs and NOM molecules and shed light on the significantly different effects of different adsorbent contacting modes on the fouling potential of the pretreated water.

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