Removal of inorganic charged micropollutants from drinking water supplies by hybrid ion exchange membrane processes

This study first illustrates the IEMB potential for the simultaneous removal of nitrate, perchlorate and bromate from drinking water. The removal of each of these pollutants to concentrations below the recommended levels for drinking water was successfully achieved. The initial development of the IEMB concept for the case of ionic mercury removal is then presented and discussed. For this purpose, appropriate cation exchange membranes were selected, and a suitable mixed microbial culture, capable of converting ionic mercury into elemental mercury, was obtained.