Natural organic matter removal from algal-rich water and disinfection by-products formation potential reduction by powdered activated carbon adsorption.

Algal blooms intensified operational problems in water treatment due to the increases of taste- and odor-causing compounds and natural organic matter (NOM). Effects of powdered activated carbon (PAC) addition during algal blooms on NOM removal was investigated in this study using an algal-rich water. Water quality analyses including dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) and specific UV absorbance (SUVA) were performed to elucidate characteristics of NOM removal by PAC adsorption. Variations of MW distributions and emission/excitation matrix (EEM) spectra with increasing PAC dosages were also measured. In addition, formation potential (FP) of trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), and haloacetonitriles (HANs) was evaluated with increasing PAC dosage. The correlations between disinfection by-products formation potential (DBPFP) and water qualities such as DOC, UV254, SUVA, and EEM spectra were also investigated to identify factors associated with DBPFP. The PAC addition was effective to remove NOM, especially low molecular weights NOM and proteinaceous substances with weak aromatics. The PAC addition showed the consistent reduction of THMFPs, HAAFPs, and HANFPs with increasing PAC dosage while the greater reduction of HAN precursors was eminent compared to the other two FPs. The close correlations between UV254 and the three DBPFPs were obtained. The low molecular weight (i.e., 1-700 Da) NOM and three fluorescence spectra peaks, i.e., T1, A and C peaks, also showed high correlation factors with the three DBPFPs. Those analyses with high correlations with DBPFPs would provide useful information to reduce DBPs during algal blooms.

Effective removal of humic acid using xanthan gum incorporated polyethersulfone membranes.

In this study, xanthan gum (XA) was used as a hydrophilic biopolymer additive for the modification of polyethersulfone (PES) membrane to removal of humic acid (HA). The membranes are prepared using phase inversion technique and the concentration of XA was varied from 0.5 to 1.5wt%. The prepared membranes are characterized as a function of hydrophilicity, equilibrium water content (EWC), porosity studies and functional group analysis. Membrane surface and cross-sectional morphology was studied using scanning electron microscope. The lower contact angle value 64.2° was exhibited, when 1.5wt% of XA incorporated in PES membrane and this ensures that increase of hydrophilicity in pristine PES membrane. Further, higher water permeability (PWP) of 68.9(-9)m/skPa was observed for 1.5wt% of XA/PES membrane. The effect of pH on HA removal was studied for neat PES and XA/PES membranes. The rejection performance of XA incorporated in PES membranes were compared with commercial available PES membrane.

Isolation and molecular characterization of biofouling bacteria and profiling of quorum sensing signal molecules from membrane bioreactor activated sludge.

The formation of biofilm in a membrane bioreactor depends on the production of various signaling molecules like N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). In the present study, a total of 200 bacterial strains were isolated from membrane bioreactor activated sludge and screened for AHLs production using two biosensor systems, Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens A136. A correlation between AHLs production and biofilm formation has been made among screened AHLs producing strains. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed the dominance of Aeromonas and Enterobacter sp. in AHLs production; however few a species of Serratia, Leclercia, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Raoultella and Citrobacter were also identified. The chromatographic characterization of sludge extract showed the presence of a broad range of quorum sensing signal molecules. Further identification of sludge AHLs by thin layer chromatography bioassay and high performance liquid chromatography confirms the presence of C4-HSL, C6-HSL, C8-HSL, 3-oxo-C8-HSL, C10-HSL, C12-HSL, 3-oxo-C12-HSL and C14-HSL. The occurrence of AHLs in sludge extract and dominance of Aeromonas and Enterobacter sp. in activated sludge suggests the key role of these bacterial strains in AHLs production and thereby membrane fouling.

Adsorption mechanisms on perfluorooctanoic acid by FeCl3 modified granular activated carbon in aqueous solutions.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an emerging organic pollutant that is persistent in the environmental, and has been detected in humans, and wildlife. Several technologies, such as activated carbon (AC) adsorption have been used to remove PFOA from water. In this study, Fe-impregnation with/without post-thermal treatment of AC was applied to improve the adsorption of PFOA. The adsorption mechanisms were evaluated using three kinetic models: pseudo-first-order model, pseudo-second-order model, and intra-particle diffusion models. Interpretation of experimental results with the kinetic models revealed that chemical interactions, such as electrostatic attraction or complexation were suggested as the adsorption mechanisms along with physical adsorption. Two isotherm models demonstrated that the modified ACs (171.0-189.9 mg g-1) had increases in adsorption capacities than the unmodified AC (164.9 mg g-1), which indicated that modification improved the maximum achievable surface concentrations and adsorption affinity to some extent. The evenly distributed iron content on the modified ACs was visualized using an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The Fe-impregnated AC showed a reduction in the specific surface area and total pore volume; however, post-thermal treatment largely recovered the pore structures. The isotherms normalized by the accessible surface area revealed the importance of the Fe-impregnated surfaces on PFOA adsorption. Comparable pH values of the point of zero charge and chemical compositions of the ACs implied that an increase in Fe-impregnated surface was crucial to improve PFOA adsorption. Thus, substantial enhancement of PFOA removal can be achieved by implementing a proper strategy for AC modification, especially using Fe-impregnation.

Analyses of calcium carbonate scale deposition on four RO membranes under a seawater desalination condition.

Inorganic fouling is one of the critical operational issues in reverse osmosis membrane. Few researches investigated effects of membrane surface characteristics on inorganic fouling and on anti-scaling techniques although the fouling occurs on the membrane surface. The objective of this paper was to examine whether different characteristics of deposition of calcium carbonate solids would occur on four membranes having distinctive surface properties. A lab-scale cell reactor with a crossflow velocity was installed and two coupons were used for one type of membranes. Two feed waters were examined: concentrated synthetic seawater simulating a 30% recovery and a concentrate from a seawater RO plant in operation at Changwon, Korea. The amounts of solid deposition on the attached membranes were increased in all four membranes but the degree of deposition on each membrane was different. Various types of calcium carbonate solids were clearly detected by both XRD and SEM analyses. In general, a membrane with greater roughness and negative surface charge appeared to form more scales. This implied that membrane surface characteristics such as roughness and surface charge affected inorganic fouling, presumably by providing favourable sites for precipitation and enhancing attraction of species to the membrane surface.

Disinfection by-product formation potential of algogenic organic matter from Microcystis aeruginosa: Effects of growth phases and powdered activated carbon adsorption.

Algae can exhibit different disinfection by-product formation potential (DBPFP) depending on the characteristics of the algogenic organic matter (AOM) released during growth. In this study, the amount of AOM released by Microcystis aeruginosa and its DBPFP were compared between the exponential growth phase and the death phase. Moreover, the efficiency of DBPFP removal through powdered activated carbon (PAC) adsorption was evaluated. The correlations between DBPFPs and dissolved organic carbon concentration or ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) were also investigated to predict DBPFPs. Among DBPFPs, which were higher at the death phase, the formation potential (FP) of haloacetic acid was the highest. In addition, the high relative haloacetonitrile FP at the death phase indicated that a relevant portion of the intracellular organic matter derived from cell autolysis was converted into a large amount of haloacetonitriles. Furthermore, PAC addition reduced all DBPFPs at both growth phases. PAC was found to selectively adsorb dichloroacetic acid precursors at the death phase and dichloroacetonitrile precursors at both growth phases. Finally, UV254 showed greater correlations with the three DBPFPs at all growth phases. These results highlight the possible use of UV254 as an alternative analytical tool for fast determination of M. aeruginosa DBPFPs.

Vanillin, a potential agent to prevent biofouling of reverse osmosis membrane.

Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems are widely used in water purification plants. Reduction in plant performance due to biofilm formation over the membrane is an inherent problem. As quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms of microorganisms have been reported to be involved in the formation of biofilm, ways are sought for quorum quenching (QQ) and thereby prevention of biofilm formation. In this study using a chemostat culture run for seven days in a CDC reactor it was found that a natural QQ compound, vanillin considerably suppressed bacterial biofilm formation on RO membrane. There was 97% reduction in biofilm surface coverage, when grown in the presence of vanillin. Similarly, the average thickness, total biomass and the total protein content of the biofilm that formed in the presence of vanillin were significantly less than that of the control. However vanillin had no effect on 1-day old pre-formed biofilm.

Effects of magnetic ion-exchange resin addition during coagulation on floc properties and membrane filtration.

The application of magnetic ion-exchange resin (MIEX) during chemical coagulation was investigated for the removal of organic matters responsible for fouling in membrane processes. Two different coagulants were used-polyaluminium chloride (PAC1) and polyaluminum chloride silicate (PACS). The MIEX addition during coagulation with both PAC1 and PACS considerably enhanced removal of dissolved organic carbon. Coagulation with MIEX treatment substantially removed all portions of natural organic matter (NOM), while the MIEX treatment alone effectively removed the hydrophobic and transphilic portions of NOM. The enhanced NOM removal by PAC1 coagulation with the addition of MIEX had positive effects on membrane flux at moderate transmembrane pressure conditions. However, the almost identical flux patterns were reported in the experiments of coagulation with PACS and PACS with MIEX addition. The results of the specific cake resistances indicated that the MIEX addition substantially decreased the resistances. The larger size distributions of PAC1 with MIEX corresponded well with the flux improvement.

2(5H)-Furanone: A Prospective strategy for biofouling-control in membrane biofilm bacteria by quorum sensing inhibition.

Biofouling of membranes demands costly periodic cleaning and membrane replacement. A sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for maintenance is not available and would be of great interest for many purposes including economical. As complex biofilm formation by environmental strains is the major cause of biofouling and biofilm formation in most cases are controlled by N-Acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated Quorum Sensing (QS). An effort was made to understand the appropriateness of 2(5H)-furanone, to use against biofouling of membranes. QS inhibition activity by 2(5H)-furanone was studied using bioindicator strains and known AHL of different acyl chain lengths. The biofilm inhibition was studied by growth analysis on polystyrene plate of Aeromonas hyrdrophila, an environmental biofilm strain isolated from a bio-fouled reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. Results showed a QS inhibition activity against a wide range of AHLs and also biofilm formation by 2(5H)-furanone, which is believed to act as a potential quorum inhibition agent in a bacterial biofilm community.

Evaluation of organic migration and biomass formation on polymeric components in a point-of-use water dispenser.

To minimize the aesthetic and hygienic concerns regarding tap water (e.g., odor, taste, suspended solids, and microorganisms), point-of-use (POU) water dispensers and filters are used in households worldwide. However, the POU water dispenser itself can adversely impact water quality. This study investigated the bacterial growth through a POU water dispenser fed with chlorinated tap water; specifically, the heterotrophic plate count increased from 0.01 to 20.01 × 103 of colony-forming units per ml. The BioMig test, which evaluates the biostability of polymeric materials based on the migration potential and the biofilm formation potential, was firstly applied for the water dispenser system. Organic migration and biofilm formation varied by the polymer type used in the water dispenser components (e.g., tubing, fittings, and reservoir). Assimilable organic carbon migration in cold water (23 ±â€¯2 °C) was better correlated with the biofilm formation potential (R = 0.93) than that of warm water (60 ±â€¯2 °C) migration (R = 0.62). The most problematic test material was silicone based on assimilable organic carbon migration and biofilm formation, whereas approved materials such as polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride were relatively stable. Polymeric component examination of an actual POU water dispenser revealed highly accumulated biofilms on the silicone tube used in the device (118 × 103 CFU cm-2). The use of polymers with high biofilm formation should be minimized in water dispensers, whereas approved polymeric components contribute to biological stability in the dispensed drinking water.

Comparison of formation of disinfection by-products by chlorination and ozonation of wastewater effluents and their toxicity to Daphnia magna.

This study compared the two most frequently used disinfectants (i.e., chlorine and ozone) to understand their efficiency in wastewater effluents and the ecotoxicity of disinfection by-products created during chlorination and ozonation. Four trihalomethanes (THMs) and nine haloacetic acids (HAAs) were measured from a chlorine-disinfected sample and two aldehydes (i.e., formaldehydes and acetaldehydes) were analyzed after ozonation. Chlorination was effective for total coliform removal with Ct value in the range of 30-60 mg-min/L. Over 1.6 mg/L of ozone dose and 0.5 min of the contact time presented sufficient disinfection efficiency. The concentration of THMs increased with longer contact time (24 h), but that of HAAs showed little change with contact time. The measured concentration of formaldehyde at the ozone dose of 1.6 mg/L and the contact time of 9 min showed the greatest value in this study, approximately 330 µg L(-1), from which the corresponding ecotoxicity was determined using an indicator species, Daphnia magna. The ecotoxicity results were consistent with the toxicological features judged by occurrence, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. Both the disinfection efficiency as well as the DBP formation potential should therefore be considered to avoid harmful impacts on aquatic environments when a disinfection method is used for wastewater effluents.

Combined Effects of Curcumin and (-)-Epigallocatechin Gallate on Inhibition of N-Acylhomoserine Lactone-Mediated Biofilm Formation in Wastewater Bacteria from Membrane Bioreactor.

This work investigated the potential of curcumin (CCM) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) to inhibit N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated biofilm formation in gramnegative bacteria from membrane bioreactor (MBR) activated sludge. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of CCM alone against all the tested bacteria were 200-350 µg/ml, whereas those for EGCG were 300-600 µg/ml. Biofilm formation at one-half MICs indicated that CCM and EGCG alone respectively inhibited 52-68% and 59-78% of biofilm formation among all the tested bacteria. However, their combination resulted in 95-99% of biofilm reduction. Quorum sensing inhibition (QSI) assay with known biosensor strains demonstrated that CCM inhibited the expression of C4 and C6 homoserine lactones (HSLs)-mediated phenotypes, whereas EGCG inhibited C4, C6, and C10 HSLs-based phenotypes. The Center for Disease Control biofilm reactor containing a multispecies culture of nine bacteria with onehalf MIC of CCM (150 µg/ml) and EGCG (275 µg/ml) showed 17 and 14 µg/cm(2) of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on polyvinylidene fluoride membrane surface, whereas their combination (100 µg/ml of each) exhibited much lower EPS content (3 µg/cm(2)). Confocal laser scanning microscopy observations also illustrated that the combination of compounds tremendously reduced the biofilm thickness. The combined effect of CCM with EGCG clearly reveals for the first time the enhanced inhibition of AHL-mediated biofilm formation in bacteria from activated sludge. Thus, such combined natural QSI approach could be used for the inhibition of membrane biofouling in MBRs treating wastewaters.

Fouling mechanisms in the integrated system with softening and ultrafiltration.

Softening is designed to remove hardness ions, but it can also remove NOM and particles, yielding the possibility to use the process as a pretreatment for ultrafiltration. The objectives of this research were to understand the nature of the fouling mechanisms for ultrafiltration when used for waters that either require softening or have been softened, and to use that understanding to determine promising options for the use of softening as a pretreatment before ultrafiltration. To understand fouling mechanisms in the integrated system with softening and ultrafiltration, three different levels of softening performance in terms of removal of inorganics and organic matter were selected. Experiments were performed with both natural waters and synthetic waters with similar (but separable) inorganic, organic, and particulate characteristics. The synthetic waters were used to distinguish among inorganic fouling by precipitates, organic fouling, particulate fouling, and combined fouling by particles and organic matter. The results showed that organic matter played a major role in fouling, either by itself or by adsorption onto particles, and that softening pretreatment effectively reduced the foulants prior to ultrafiltration.

Quorum quenching mediated approaches for control of membrane biofouling.

Membrane biofouling is widely acknowledged as the most frequent adverse event in wastewater treatment systems resulting in significant loss of treatment efficiency and economy. Different strategies including physical cleaning and use of antimicrobial chemicals or antibiotics have been tried for reducing membrane biofouling. Such traditional practices are aimed to eradicate biofilms or kill the bacteria involved, but the greater efficacy in membrane performance would be achieved by inhibiting biofouling without interfering with bacterial growth. As a result, the search for environmental friendly non-antibiotic antifouling strategies has received much greater attention among scientific community. The use of quorum quenching natural compounds and enzymes will be a potential approach for control of membrane biofouling. This approach has previously proven useful in diseases and membrane biofouling control by triggering the expression of desired phenotypes. In view of this, the present review is provided to give the updated information on quorum quenching compounds and elucidate the significance of quorum sensing inhibition in control of membrane biofouling.

N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated quorum sensing with special reference to use of quorum quenching bacteria in membrane biofouling control.

Membrane biofouling remains a severe problem to be addressed in wastewater treatment systems affecting reactor performance and economy. The finding that many wastewater bacteria rely on N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated quorum sensing to synchronize their activities essential for biofilm formations; the quenching bacterial quorum sensing suggests a promising approach for control of membrane biofouling. A variety of quorum quenching compounds of both synthetic and natural origin have been identified and found effective in inhibition of membrane biofouling with much less environmental impact than traditional antimicrobials. Work over the past few years has demonstrated that enzymatic quorum quenching mechanisms are widely conserved in several prokaryotic organisms and can be utilized as a potent tool for inhibition of membrane biofouling. Such naturally occurring bacterial quorum quenching mechanisms also play important roles in microbe-microbe interactions and have been used to develop sustainable nonantibiotic antifouling strategies. Advances in membrane fabrication and bacteria entrapment techniques have allowed the implication of such quorum quenching bacteria for better design of membrane bioreactor with improved antibiofouling efficacies. In view of this, the present paper is designed to review and discuss the recent developments in control of membrane biofouling with special emphasis on quorum quenching bacteria that are applied in membrane bioreactors.

2(5H)-Furanone: a prospective strategy for biofouling-control in membrane biofilm bacteria by quorum sensing inhibition

Biofouling of membranes demands costly periodic cleaning and membrane replacement. A sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for maintenance is not available and would be of great interest for many purposes including economical. As complex biofilm formation by environmental strains is the major cause of biofouling and biofilm formation in most cases are controlled by N-Acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)mediated Quorum Sensing (QS). An effort was made to understand the appropriateness of 2(5H)-furanone, to use against biofouling of membranes. QS inhibition activity by 2(5H)-furanone was studied using bioindicator strains and known AHLs of different acyl chain lengths. The biofilm inhibition was studied by growth analysis on polystyrene plate of Aeromonas hyrdrophila, an environmental biofilm strain isolated from a bio-fouled reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. Results showed a QS inhibition activity against a wide range of AHLs and also biofilm formation by 2(5H)-furanone, which is believed to act as a potential quorum inhibition agent in a bacterial biofilm community.