Abstract
Nowadays, integrated microfiltration (MF) membrane systems treatment is becoming widely popular due to its feasibility, process reliability, commercial availability, modularity, relative insensitivity in case of wastewater of various industrial sources as well as raw water treatment and lower operating costs. The well thought out, designed and implemented use of membranes can decrease capital cost, reduce chemical usage, and require little maintenance. Due to their resistance to extreme operating conditions and cleaning protocols, ceramic MF membranes are gradually becoming more employed in the drinking water and wastewater treatment industries when compared with organic and polymeric membranes. Regardless of their many advantages, during continuous operation these membranes are susceptible to a fouling process that can be detrimental for successful and continuous plant operations. Chemical and microbial agents including suspended particles, organic matter particulates, microorganisms and heavy metals mainly contribute to fouling, a complex multifactorial phenomenon. Several strategies, such as chemical cleaning protocols, turbulence promoters and backwashing with air or liquids are currently used in the industry, mainly focusing around early prevention and treatment, so that the separation efficiency of MF membranes will not decrease over time. Other strategies include combining coagulation with either inorganic or organic coagulants, with membrane treatment which can potentially enhance pollutants retention and reduce membrane fouling.
Highlights
The continuously intensifying human population growth has led to the demand for clean water to be steeply increased while the gap between water demand and supply is getting wider [1,2].In addition to conventional sources, other sources of water are currently being considered for use such as groundwater, water hold by dams, brackish water and water reuse generated by wastewater treatment
This though has changed with inorganic membranes continuously gaining grounds with being able to be fabricated in various structures and pore sizes, especially as MF and UF membranes
Flux decline during MF can be very harmful on the economics of a given membrane operation and to tackle this problem, various measures are taken by organizations and companies [134,135]
Summary
The continuously intensifying human population growth has led to the demand for clean water to be steeply increased while the gap between water demand and supply is getting wider [1,2]. On the other hand underground water or known as ground water is, though, prone to contaminants either naturally occurring or augmented by human activity to pollutants and hazardous substances that need to be removed as for the water to be constituted safe for consumption Heavy metals, such as mercury, copper and lead can cause serious health problems in excessive amounts, including reduced growth and development, autoimmune diseases, cancer, organ damage, nervous system damage and in extreme cases, death [6]. Precipitation of coagulated colloids at high coagulants concentration or high ionic strength in the feed reduces the feasibility of inorganic substances as coagulation aids, but organic coagulants have recently been preferred as they do not experience high precipitation, which gives them an easier to handle constitution [15] In this narrative review the authors will attempt to explain the phenomenon of ceramic microfiltration membranes fouling occurring mainly in wastewater and water treatment. The review will be examining the pressing matter of water scarcity across the world, setting the tone of the necessity of usage of alternative source of water, introducing the concept of pressure driven membrane filtration, its types and categories, discussing ceramic microfiltration membranes and the occurring fouling phenomenon as well as current applied in practical methods of its treatment, attempting to extrapolate greater awareness in a relatively under-investigated matter within the last decade
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