Sulfate removal from drinking water by commercially available nanofiltration membranes: A parametric study


Karabacak A., Dilek F. B., Yılmaz L., Kitiş M., Yetiş Ü.

Desalination and Water Treatment, vol.205, pp.296-307, 2020 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 205
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.5004/dwt.2020.26398
  • Journal Name: Desalination and Water Treatment
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Biotechnology Research Abstracts, CAB Abstracts, Environment Index, Geobase, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.296-307
  • Keywords: Drinking water, Nanofiltration, Sulfate, Operational parameters, NATURAL ORGANIC-MATTER, AQUEOUS-SOLUTION, WASTE-WATER, ULTRAFILTRATION, PERFORMANCE, MECHANISMS, SEPARATION, CHEMISTRY, REJECTION, POLYAMIDE
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

© 2020 Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.The efficacy of nanofiltration (NF) in removing sulfate from a high sulfate content (370–460 mg/L) surface water was investigated. NF tests were carried out using a laboratory-scale cross-flow NF module operated in total-recycle (full-recycle) mode. Membranes of varying characteristics; namely, DK-NF (Desal DK: GE Osmonics, USA), DL-NF (Desal DL: GE Osmonics, USA), and NF270 (Dow Filmtec Co., USA) were tested, and the effects of main operational parameters of cross-flow veloc-ity, trans-membrane pressure, and pretreatment on permeate flux and sulfate removal were evalu-ated. The NF270 membrane exhibited the highest permeate flux and was found to be the best of the three membranes tested, with over 98% sulfate removal. The DK-NF membrane, which was poor in performance with a high flux decline, provided the lowest sulfate removal, lowest permeate flux, and highest fouling. Microfiltration (2.5-µm), as pretreatment, provided no considerable improvement in permeate flux. When the effects of operational parameters on NF performance using the DL-NF membrane were sought, it appeared that permeate flux, and sulfate removal efficiency did not change at all with trans-membrane pressure and cross-flow velocity. The study is expected to provide useful information about the NF of drinking water with high sulfate content in the future.