An integrated membrane process for treatment of effluents from food additive manufacturing was designed and evaluated on a laboratory scale. The principal focus was water recovery with the possibility of its reuse as potable water. The industrial effluent presented high content of dyes and salts. It was red in color and presented brine characteristics. The whole effluent was fed into the integrated process in continuous flow. The steps of the process are as follows: sedimentation (S), adsorption by activated carbon (AC), ion exchange using resins (IEXR), and reverse osmosis (RO) (S-AC-IEXR-RO). The effect of previous operations was evaluated by stress-rupture curves in packaged columns of AC and IEXR, membrane flux, and fouling dominance in RO. Fouling was evaluated by way of the Silt Density Index and membrane resistance examination during effluent treatment. The integrated membrane process provided reclaimed water with sufficiently high standards of quality for reuse as potable water. AC showed a high efficiency for color elimination, reaching its rupture point at 20 h and after 5L of effluent treatment. IEXR showed capacity for salt removal, providing 2.2-2.5 L of effluent treatment, reaching its rupture point at 11-15 h. As a result of these previous operations and operating conditions, the fouling of the RO membrane was alleviated, displaying high flux of water: 20-18 L/h/m2 and maintaining reversible fouling dominance at a feed flow rate of 0.5-0.7 L/h. The characteristics of the reclaimed water showed drinking water standards.
Keywords: dye removal; food effluents; membrane treatment; potable water; saline effluents; water recovery.