TY - JOUR
T1 - Chemical Cleaning Techniques for Fouled RO Membranes
T2 - Enhancing Fouling Removal and Assessing Microbial Composition
AU - Al-Balushi, Mohammed A.
AU - Kyaw, Htet Htet
AU - Myint, Myo Tay Zar
AU - Al-Abri, Mohammed
AU - Dobretsov, Sergey
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/10
Y1 - 2024/10
N2 - Membrane fouling, a major challenge in desalination, is addressed in this study by investigating three different chemical cleaning protocols (A, B, and C) targeting fouled reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and microbial community composition. Cleaning protocols A and B involve different chemical treatments selected based on preliminary tests and literature review, while protocol C follows the manufacturer’s standard recommendation. Membrane morphology, foulant composition, and microbial community variability in fouled, virgin, and cleaned membranes are studied. Effective biofilm removal is observed across all protocols using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while spectroscopic techniques highlight interactions between foulants and membranes. Importantly, a critical gap in understanding how cleaning strategies influence microbial communities on membranes is addressed. Shifts in dominant bacterial phyla (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria) after cleaning are identified through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Cleaning A showed the best results in reducing microbial counts and restoring composition similar to virgin membranes. Additionally, chemical treatment increased dominance of resistant genera such as Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Citrobacter, and Burkholderia. This study emphasizes the necessity for tailored fouling cleaning strategies for RO membranes, with Cleaning A is a promising solution, paving the way for enhanced water purification technologies.
AB - Membrane fouling, a major challenge in desalination, is addressed in this study by investigating three different chemical cleaning protocols (A, B, and C) targeting fouled reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and microbial community composition. Cleaning protocols A and B involve different chemical treatments selected based on preliminary tests and literature review, while protocol C follows the manufacturer’s standard recommendation. Membrane morphology, foulant composition, and microbial community variability in fouled, virgin, and cleaned membranes are studied. Effective biofilm removal is observed across all protocols using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while spectroscopic techniques highlight interactions between foulants and membranes. Importantly, a critical gap in understanding how cleaning strategies influence microbial communities on membranes is addressed. Shifts in dominant bacterial phyla (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria) after cleaning are identified through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Cleaning A showed the best results in reducing microbial counts and restoring composition similar to virgin membranes. Additionally, chemical treatment increased dominance of resistant genera such as Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Citrobacter, and Burkholderia. This study emphasizes the necessity for tailored fouling cleaning strategies for RO membranes, with Cleaning A is a promising solution, paving the way for enhanced water purification technologies.
KW - biofouling
KW - chemical treatment
KW - metagenomic sequencing
KW - microbes
KW - microbial community
KW - reverse osmosis membranes
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U2 - 10.3390/membranes14100204
DO - 10.3390/membranes14100204
M3 - Article
C2 - 39452816
AN - SCOPUS:85207298043
SN - 2077-0375
VL - 14
JO - Membranes
JF - Membranes
IS - 10
M1 - 204
ER -