The reduction of e. faecalis in water environment based on ultrafiltration : the effect of membrane zeta potential on removal efficiency

Abstract

Membranes are being used for a wide range of applications globally. The ability of membranes as a disinfection apparatus for domestic water supply replacing chlorination is of great interest. Chlorination is the most common disinfection method used. Although effective in eliminating microorganisms, it produces harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs) which are harmful to human health. Membrane technology can be considered as an alternative disinfection method since it is an effective barrier for suspensions, bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. Although membrane technology is a safe alternative, biofouling of membranes with bacteria is a significant problem which affects removal efficiency. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of zeta potential on the performance of Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes in the removal of E. faecalis in water. Performance of produced membranes was evaluated based on the membrane surface charge value obtained from EKA analysis.