Insights into graphene oxide/ferrihydrite adsorption as pretreatment during ultrafiltration: Membrane fouling mitigation and disinfection by-product control

Zhan Wu; Ying Zhang; Jiazheng Jiang; Jian Pu; Satoshi Takizawa; Li-An Hou; Yu Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129098

Insights into graphene oxide/ferrihydrite adsorption as pretreatment during ultrafiltration: Membrane fouling mitigation and disinfection by-product control

J Hazard Mater. 2022 Aug 15:436:129098. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129098. Epub 2022 May 7.

Authors

Zhan Wu¹, Ying Zhang², Jiazheng Jiang³, Jian Pu⁴, Satoshi Takizawa⁵, Li-An Hou⁶, Yu Yang⁷

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: 201921180084@mail.bnu.edu.cn.
² State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: zhang_ying@mail.bnu.edu.cn.
³ State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: jiangjiazheng@foxmail.com.
⁴ Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, United Nations University, Jingumae 5-53-70, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8925, Japan. Electronic address: pu@unu.edu.
⁵ Department of Urban Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. Electronic address: takizawa@env.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; High Tech Inst Beijing, Beijing 100000, China. Electronic address: houla@cae.cn.
⁷ State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: yangyu@bnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 35569372
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129098

Abstract

In this study, a novel adsorbent of graphene oxide (GO) incorporated ferrihydrite (FH) was fabricated and integrated with ultrafiltration (UF) to remove natural organic matter (NOM), the crucial cause of membrane fouling and major precursor of disinfection by-products (DBPs). Compared with FH and powdered activated carbon (PAC), GO/FH exhibited superior removal for high molecular weight (HMW) humic- and fulvic-like substances and low molecular weight (LMW) protein. The cake layer formed by GO/FH alleviated the deposition of NOM on membrane surface or inside membrane pores. Therefore, GO/FH reduced 89% and 95% total fouling resistance and irreversible membrane resistance, respectively, together with the lowest increment of transmembrane pressure. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that DOC, rather than specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) and UV₂₅₄, was significantly correlated to the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) when SUVA was below 4 L/mg-C.m. Whilst the HMW NOM (1-20 kDa) was highly related to dibromochloromethane (DBCM) (r = 0.98-1), the LMW fraction (< 1 kDa) was correlated with dibromochloromethane (TCAA) and dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) (r = 0.88-0.98). Inspiringly, GO/FH-UF reduced 90% of carbonaceous DBPs, the concentrations of which well met the WHO Guidelines. In summary, GO/FH-UF substantially alleviated membrane fouling and dramatically reduced DBP formation potential.

Keywords: Adsorption; Disinfection by-products; Hybrid membrane process; Membrane fouling; Molecular weight.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Disinfection
Ferric Compounds
Graphite
Membranes, Artificial
Ultrafiltration*
Water Purification*

Substances

Ferric Compounds
Membranes, Artificial
graphene oxide
Graphite
ferric oxyhydroxide