Abstract
Low-pressure ultrafiltration membrane (LPM) is an ideal technology for decentralized water supply. However, the applicability for removing ferrous iron (Fe2+), manganese (Mn2+), and ammonia (NH4+) in the source water and related mechanisms remained unknown. To fill this major knowledge gap, we systematically compared the pristine (pr-LPM) and MnO2-preloaded membrane (Mn-LPM). Mn-LPM allowed higher water flux while enhancing the removal of Fe2+, Mn2+, and NH4+. The removal efficiency of Mn2+ immediately reached 99.6% on the first day. The preloading of MnO2 also enhanced the removal capacity of NH4+. A series of instrument characterizations suggest that a higher NH4+ concentration resulted in a thicker bio-cake layer, correlating to the higher pollutant removal efficiency and the decrease in the stable flux. Under high NH4+ concentrations, Anaerobic Ammonia Oxidation likely contributes to NH4+ removal. These findings significantly improve the understanding and help the design of LPM systems for cost-effective decentralized water supply in remote areas.
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