Effect of surface roughness on fouling of RO and NF membranes during filtration of a high organic surficial groundwater

Research Article| November 01 2006 Effect of surface roughness on fouling of RO and NF membranes during filtration of a high organic surficial groundwater Colin Hobbs; Colin Hobbs 1Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Central Florida, PO Box 162450Orlando, FL 32816-2450, USA Tel.: (407) 660-2552 Fax: (407) 875-1161; E-mail: hobbscm@cdm.com Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar James Taylor; James Taylor 1Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Central Florida, PO Box 162450Orlando, FL 32816-2450, USA Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Seungkwan Hong Seungkwan Hong 2Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Korea University, 1, 5-ka, Anam-dong, Sungbuk-kuSeoul, 136-701, Korea Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua (2006) 55 (7-8): 559–570. https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2006.038 Article history Received: January 27 2006 Accepted: May 20 2006 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Cite Icon Cite Permissions Search Site Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll JournalsThis Journal Search Advanced Search Citation Colin Hobbs, James Taylor, Seungkwan Hong; Effect of surface roughness on fouling of RO and NF membranes during filtration of a high organic surficial groundwater. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 November 2006; 55 (7-8): 559–570. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2006.038 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Fouling characteristics of various thin film composite polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes were systematically investigated using a high organic surficial groundwater obtained from the City of Plantation, Florida. Prior to bench-scale fouling experiments, surface properties of the selected RO and NF membranes were carefully analysed in order to correlate the rate and extent of fouling to membrane surface characteristics, such as roughness, charge and hydrophobicity. More specifically, the surface roughness was characterized by atomic force microscopy, while the surface charge and hydrophobicity of the membranes were evaluated through zeta potential and contact angle measurements, respectively. The results indicated that membrane fouling became more severe with increasing surface roughness, as measured by the surface area difference, which accounts for both magnitude and frequency of surface peaks. Surface roughness was correlated to flux decline; however, surface charge was not. The limited range of hydrophobicity of the flat sheet studies prohibited conclusions regarding the correlation of flux decline and hydrophobicity. hydrophobicity, membrane fouling, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, surface charge, surface roughness This content is only available as a PDF. © IWA Publishing 2006 You do not currently have access to this content.