Chemical-free cleaning of fouled reverse osmosis (RO) membranes derived from bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE)

Ibrahim, Suhaina M.; Nagasawa, Hiroki; Kanezashi, Masakoto; Tsuru, Toshinori

Chemical-free cleaning of fouled reverse osmosis (RO) membranes derived from bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE)

2020

Ibrahim, Suhaina M. | Nagasawa, Hiroki | Kanezashi, Masakoto | Tsuru, Toshinori

The aim of this work was to study the fouling and cleaning behavior of bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE)-derived organosilica membranes, which is a new class of RO membranes that feature chlorine tolerance and thermal stability. The foulants used in this study included bovine serum albumin (BSA) and sodium alginate (SA), which are typical examples of effluent organic matter (EOM). Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) surfactants served as typical industrial waste. With the EOM foulants, BSA fouling occurred at a pH that approximated its iso-electric point (IEP), and the fouling became more severe with the addition of electrolytes into the SA solution. In both cases, however, the fouled BTESE membrane was recovered with the use of deionized water (DIW). The fouling was more pronounced in the presence of DTAB by comparison with SDS surfactants. Surprisingly, in all tests, within 30 min and without the need of chemical agents, the integrity of the fouled BTESE membranes was recovered by applying water at a temperature of at least 80 °C.

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