Synergistic effects of microplastics and organic foulants on the performance of forward osmosis membranes

Mitra Golgoli; Mehdi Khiadani; Tushar Kanti Sen; Amir Razmjou; Michael L Johns; Masoumeh Zargar

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136906

Synergistic effects of microplastics and organic foulants on the performance of forward osmosis membranes

Chemosphere. 2023 Jan;311(Pt 1):136906. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136906. Epub 2022 Oct 18.

Authors

Mitra Golgoli¹, Mehdi Khiadani¹, Tushar Kanti Sen², Amir Razmjou³, Michael L Johns⁴, Masoumeh Zargar⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Perth, WA, 6027, Australia.
² Chemical Engineering Department, King Faisal University, P.O. Box: 380, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia.
³ School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Perth, WA, 6027, Australia; UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia; Mineral Recovery Research Center (MRRC), School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, WA 6027, Australia.
⁴ Fluid Science & Resources Division, Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
⁵ School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Perth, WA, 6027, Australia; Mineral Recovery Research Center (MRRC), School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, WA 6027, Australia. Electronic address: m.zargar@ecu.edu.au.

PMID: 36270521
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136906

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants that are abundantly present in the influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Forward osmosis (FO) is an advanced treatment technology with potential applications in WWTPs. The presence of MPs in WWTP effluents can contribute to FO fouling and performance deterioration. This study focuses on FO membrane fouling by MPs of different sizes, and the interactional impacts of MPs and Humic acid (HA) (as the most common organic foulant in WWTPs) on FO membrane performance. The synergistic effect of combined MPs and HA fouling is shown to cause higher flux decline for FO membranes than that of HA or MPs alone. Reverse salt flux increased in the presence of MPs, and decreased when HA was present. Further, full flux recovery was obtained for all fouled membranes after hydraulic cleaning. This indicates the efficiency of FO systems for treating wastewater with high fouling potential. This study highlights the necessity of considering MPs in studying fouling behaviour, and for mitigation strategies of membranes used in WWT. The fundamentals created here can be further extended to other membrane-assisted separation processes.

Keywords: Forward osmosis membranes; Irreversible fouling; Microplastics; Organic foulants; Reverse salt flux.

MeSH terms

Humic Substances
Membranes, Artificial
Microplastics*
Osmosis
Plastics
Wastewater
Water Purification*

Substances

Microplastics
Plastics
Membranes, Artificial
Waste Water
Humic Substances