Anti-biofouling property of vanillin on Aeromonas hydrophila initial biofilm on various membrane surfaces.

Biofouling is a serious problem on filter membranes of water purification systems due to formation of bacterial biofilms, which can be detrimental to the membrane performance. Biofouling occurs on membrane surface and therefore greatly influences the physical and chemical aspects of the surface. Several membranes including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes were used to learn about the anti-biofouling properties of vanillin affecting the membrane performances. Vanillin has been recognized as a potential quorum quenching compound for Aeromonas hydrophila biofilms. The initial attachment and dynamics of biofilm growth were monitored using scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Biofilm quantities were measured using a plate count method and total protein determinations. Vanillin addition was effective in the prevention of biofilm formation on the tested membrane surfaces. Among the membranes, RO membranes made with cellulose acetate showed the most substantial reduction of biofilm formation by addition of vanillin. The biofilm reduction was confirmed by the results of surface coverage, biomass and protein accumulation. The HPLC spectrum of the spent culture with vanillin addition showed that vanillin may interfere with quorum sensing molecules and thus prevent the formation of the biofilms.

A high filtration system with synthetic permeable media for wastewater reclamation.

A novel filtration process with synthetic permeable media was investigated for secondary effluent reclamation. Polyurethane was chosen as the filter medium among three tested media. Compressibility and up-flow velocity were changed to determine the optimum operation for the system. An equation was introduced to express the relationship between the removal efficiency and up-flow velocity. In a pilot study, the synthetic medium filtration with compression showed very stable effluent quality without clogging trouble, though the system operated with three times higher filtration rate and much longer backwashing interval than conventional systems.

Effects of flocculent aggregates on microfiltration with coagulation pretreatment of high turbidity waters.

Immersed membrane systems, and those with in-line coagulation, have been extensively applied in drinking water systems. Sedimentation is usually replaced by membrane processes in both systems. In these systems, voluminous flocculent aggregates formed during coagulation could be potential foulants. When raw waters with high turbidity are introduced, particle loadings to membrane due to coagulation pretreatment are enormous and thus could increase fouling. In general, during the rainy season, the turbidity of the Han River water, which supplies drinking water for the City of Seoul, Korea, is more than a hundred times higher than usual. Therefore, effects of floc on membrane fouling were investigated with highly turbid waters. Two turbidity concentrations, 40 and 200 NTU, were formulated by the addition of kaolin (used as a natural particle surrogate) to the Han River raw water. The results showed that the flux decline behaviours of the highly turbid waters were different from those of natural raw water. Coagulation pretreatment was very effective at reducing membrane fouling. Flocculent aggregates showed a negative effect on the flux decline but a positive effect on the membrane cleaning efficiency.

Investigation of membrane fouling in ultrafiltration using model organic compounds.

Natural organic matter (NOM) is known to be the worst foulant in the membrane processes, but the complexities of NOM make it difficult to determine its effects on membrane fouling. Therefore, simple organic compounds (surrogates for NOM) were used in this research to investigate the fouling mechanisms in ultrafiltration. Previous research on NOM components in membrane processes indicated that polysaccharides formed an important part of the fouling cake. Three polysaccharides (dextran, alginic acid, and polygalacturonic acid) and a smaller carbohydrate (tannic acid) were evaluated for their removal in softening (the treatment process in the City of Austin). Two polysaccharides (dextran and alginic acid) were selected and further investigated for their effects on membrane fouling. The two raw organic waters (4 mg/L C) showed quite different patterns of flux decline indicating different fouling mechanisms. Softening pretreatment was effective to reduce flux decline of both waters. The SEM images of the fouled membrane clearly showed the shapes of deposited foulants. The high resolution results of the XPS spectra showed substantially different spectra of carbon, C(1s), in the membrane fouled by two raw organic waters. The XPS was beneficial in determining the relative composition of each fouling material on the membrane surface.

Investigation of membrane fouling by synthetic and natural particles.

The biggest impediment for applying membrane processes is fouling that comes from mass flux better (such as particle and organic matter) to the membrane surface and its pores. Numerous research articles have indicated that either particles or natural organic matter (NOM) has been the most detrimental foulant. Therefore, the role of particles in membrane fouling was investigated with two synthetic waters (having either particles alone or particles with simple organic matter) and a natural water. Membrane fouling was evaluated with flux decline behavior and direct images from scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the combined fouling by kaolin and dextran (a simple organic compound selected as a surrogate for NOM) showed no difference from the fouling with only the organic matter. The similarity might stem from the fact that dextran (i.e., polysaccharide) has no ability to be adsorbed on the clay material, so that the polysaccharide behaves the same with respect to the membrane with or without clay material being present. In contrast to kaolin, the natural particles showed a dramatic effect on membrane fouling.

Growth-inhibitory effects of Galla Rhois-derived tannins on intestinal bacteria.

The growth-inhibitory activity of Galla Rhois-derived materials towards 17 intestinal bacteria was evaluated using an impregnated paper disc method. The biologically active components of Galla Rhois were characterized as the tannins methyl gallate (MG) and gallic acid (GA) by spectral analysis. The growth responses varied with bacterial strain tested. In the test using 10 mg disc-1, MG and GA produced a clear inhibitory effect on harmful bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens, Cl. paraputrificum, Eubacterium limosum, Bacteroides fragilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Methyl gallate showed no growth-inhibitory activity towards Bifidobacterium adolescentis or B. longum whereas the growth of B. bifidum, B. breve, B. infantis, B. animalis, B. thermophilum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lact. plantarum and Streptococcus faecalis was slightly affected. However, GA did not adversely affect the growth of the bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. At 5 mg disc-1, MG significantly inhibited the growth of Cl. perfringens and Cl. paraputrificum but did not affect the growth of the bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. At 1 mg disc-1, MG greatly inhibited the growth of Cl. perfringens alone. These results may be an indication of at least one of the pharmacological actions of Galla Rhois.