Submerged hollow fiber ultrafiltration as seawater pretreatment in the logic of integrated membrane desalination systems

►Permeate with DOC content well below 1 mg L− 1 can be obtained by sUF. ►Irreversible NOM adsorption occurs yet during the early stages of filtration. ►Biopolymers and some humic substances are better retained by the membrane. ►Excessive backflushing induces pore blocking and fouling cake compaction. ►Simple cleaning with NaOCl allows substantial recovery of original permeability.