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An ongoing AwwaRF Project, Optimization of Membrane Treatment for Direct and ClarifiedWater Filtration, has been studying the effect of pretreatment chemicals on membrane filtrationperformance. The primary objective of this research is to develop a unified understanding of theinteraction between water quality, pretreatment chemicals, and membrane materials, and toevaluate the difference between membrane performance when studied at the bench and pilotscale. The objective of this paper is to report on the bench-scale component of the project, which isbeing conducted to accomplish the following:to gain insight on fouling mechanisms of microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes,with a focus on interactions between water quality parameters, treatment chemicals, andmembrane materials;to examine membrane fouling by specific fractions of constituents in natural water,separated by size;to examine the impact of water treatment chemicals and pretreatment processes onmembrane fouling by specific size fractions of constituents;to examine the physical and chemical characteristics of membrane foulants in each sizefraction using advanced microscopic and spectroscopic techniques; and,to evaluate comparisons between bench, pilot and full-scale performance.This research is important because it will provide a better understanding of the fouling ofmembranes by natural waters and the ability of various pretreatment strategies to alter the foulingprocess. This understanding can lead to more widespread and cost-effective use of membranefiltration, which will ultimately lead to a safer water supply.Natural surface water from five sources, which were selected to provide a broad internationaldistribution of water, is being studied in the University of New Mexico (UNM) environmentalengineering laboratory. The general experimental approach is as follows: raw andpretreated water are shipped to UNM by a water utility; water is pretreated in the laboratoryin a manner consistent with the chemicals and doses used at the full-scale facility; inorganicand organic constituents in water are separated into several fractions by size; fouling by eachof the fractionated feed waters is analyzed in membrane filtration tests; and, water qualitybefore and after pretreatment and before and after membrane filtration is characterized throughmeasurement of various inorganic and organic water quality parameters. Includes 2 references, table, figures.

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 06/17/2004 Number of Pages: 11 File Size: 1 file , 390 KB