Presence Of Effluent Organic Matter Research Articles

Immobilized BiOCl0.75I0.25/g-C3N4 nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A in the presence of effluent organic matter

The BiOCl0.75I0.25/g-C3N4 nanosheet (BCI-CN) was successfully immobilized on polyolefin polyester fiber (PPF) through the hydrothermal method. The novel immobilized BiOCl0.75I0.25/g-C3N4 nanocomposites (BCI-CN-PPF) were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy EDS, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS) to confirm that BCI-CN was successfully immobilized on PPF with abundant oxygen vacancies reserved. Under simulated solar light irradiation, 100 % of bisphenol A (BPA) with an initial concentration of 10 mg·L−1 was degraded by BCI-CN-PPF (0.2 g·L−1 of BCI-CN immobilized) after 60 min. A similar photocatalytic efficiency of BPA was obtained in the presence of effluent organic matter (EfOM). The photocatalytic degradation of BPA was not affected by EfOM <5 mg-C/L. In comparison, the photocatalytic performance was considerably inhibited by EfOM with a concentration of 10 mg-C/L. Furthermore, photogenerated holes and superoxide radicals predominated in the photocatalytic degradation processes of BPA. The total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies of BPA and EfOM were 75.2 % and 50 % in the BCI-CN-PPF catalytic system. The BPA removal efficiency of 94.9 % was still achieved in the eighth cycle of repeated use. This study provides a promising immobilized nanocomposite with high photocatalytic activity and excellent recyclability and reusability for practical application in wastewater treatment.

Kinetic study on degradation of micro-organics by different UV-based advanced oxidation processes in EfOM matrix.

Effluent organic matter (EfOM) contains a large number of substances that are harmful to both the environment and human health. To avoid the negative effects of organic matter in EfOM, advanced treatment of organic matter is an urgent task. Four typical oxidants (H2O2, PS, PMS, NaClO) and UV-combined treatments were used to treat micro-contaminants in the presence or absence of EfOM, because the active radical species produced in these UV-AOPs are highly reactive with organic contaminants. However, the removal efficiency of trace contaminants was greatly affected by the presence of EfOM. The degradation kinetics of two representative micro-contaminants (benzoic acid (BA) and para chlorobenzoic acid (pCBA)) was significantly reduced in the presence of EfOM, compared to the degradation kinetics in its absence. Using the method of competitive kinetics, with BA, pCBA, and 1,4-dimethoxybenzene (DMOB) as probes, the radicals (HO·, SO4-·, ClO·) proved to be the key to reaction species in advanced oxidation processes. UV irradiation on EfOM was not primarily responsible for the degradation of micro-contaminants. The second-order rate constants of the EfOM with radicals were determined to be (5.027 ± 0.643) × 102 (SO4-·), (3.192 ± 0.153) × 104 (HO·), and 1.35 × 106 (ClO·) (mg C/L)-1s-1. In addition, this study evaluated the production of three radicals based on the concept of Rct, which can better analyze its reaction mechanism.

Evaluation of a hybrid process of magnetic ion-exchange resin treatment followed by ozonation in secondary effluent organic matter removal

The presence of effluent organic matter (EfOM) and organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) in secondary effluent is receiving increasing concern due to their potential impacts on the aquatic environment and human health. In this study, the removal characteristics of EfOM by magnetic ion-exchange resin (MIEX), ozonation, and the hybrid process of MIEX followed by ozonation (M + O) were compared by measuring the bulk organic indicators (BOIs), OMPs, bio-toxicity, and fluorescence. Furthermore, the desorption characteristics of MIEX were comprehensively studied. Ozonation could reduce the OMPs, total fluorescence (TF), genotoxicity, and oestrogenic activity more effectively than MIEX, with reductions of 80.3%, 97.8%, 98.9%, and 94.6%, respectively. The M + O process was capable of removing more EfOM than the individual MIEX or ozonation processes and could reduce the genotoxicity and oestrogenic activity to the detection limit. By implementing MIEX as a pre-treatment, the generation of ammonia–nitrogen and nitrate–nitrogen was effectively reduced in the subsequent ozonation process as MIEX adsorbed organic nitrogen and nitrite-nitrogen. The different regenerants influenced the OMP desorption performance of MIEX by changing the desorption mechanisms, and NaCl + NaOH was the best regenerant due to its high total OMP desorption efficiency. Parallel factor analysis coupled with self-organising maps further explained the differences in fluorescence desorption due to the addition of NaOH to the regenerated solution. Pearson correlation analysis indicated the potential of using spectroscopic indicators, such as ultraviolet absorbance and TF, to assess the evolution of OMPs and bio-toxicity during the M + O and MIEX desorption processes.

Phosphate removal by ZIF-8@MWCNT hybrids in presence of effluent organic matter: Adsorbent structure, wastewater quality, and DFT analysis

Recently, zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF8) and its derivatives have been applied in aqueous contaminant removal. Herein, three types of ZIF8@carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrids harvesting different pore structures and chemical bonding information are utilized for phosphate removal in the typical wastewater of activated sludge system (SW) and partial nitrification-denitrification treatment system (PND). Effluent organic matter (EfOM) is found to compete with phosphate for adsorption sites on adsorbents, resulting in reducing adsorptive capacities for phosphate, and the negative effect trend to become severer with increasing EfOM concentrations. Thus adverse impact are highly to be relieved by using ZIF8@CNT-2 (hybrids with CNT dosage of 120 mg) with novel structure design, the hybrid of which harvests the highest phosphate removal of 92.8–100%, the largest Partition coefficient (PC) of 9119.05 mg g−1 μM with initial concentration of 0.96 mg L−1, pH independence in the range from 4 to 10. Analyses of the XPS characterization and first-principles calculations demonstrate the dominant interactions of Zn-O-P and H-bond during phosphate adsorption process by ZIF8@CNT hybrids. Such interactions are suppressed in presence of EfOM by weakening the above-stated binding energy at different adsorption sites according to first-principles simulation, resulting in declined phosphate adsorption capacity. In this regard, the less sensitivity to co-existing EfOM of ZIF8@CNT-2 may be due to the increased P=O, Zn-O-P and P-OH and the strengthened tolerance of nanostructure. These results suggest the promising enhanced phosphate removal in presence of EfOM could be obtained by specifically designing adsorbent structure.

Photocatalytic degradation of dye by Ag/TiO2 nanoparticles prepared with different sol-gel crystallization in the presence of effluent organic matter.

TiO2 nanoparticle-doped Ag (Ag/TNPs) have good photocatalytic properties based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. The effluent organic matter (EfOM) can be easily activated by photo-excitation to promote pollutant photodegradation, but excessive EfOM has an inactive effect. Herein, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the changes of photocatalytic performance by Ag/TNPs in the presence of EfOM. Three Ag/TNPs made by condensation crystallization or rotary evaporation crystallization using the sol-gel method were conducted in photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO). The Ag/TNPs crystallized by condensation had greater separation rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and photocatalytic degradation of MO with high load rates of binding Ag and TiO2 than those formed by rotary evaporation crystallization. Indeed, EfOM could be excited to produce the active substances under illumination resulting in the promotion of MO degradation. However, contrary to previous speculation, no additive effect of MO photodegradation was observed with the addition both of EfOM and Ag/TNPs at different pH values (5~9) and ion strength (0~0.4 mol L-1). It can be explained that the EfOM changed the morphology and active sites in Ag/TNPs' surface. Meanwhile, EfOM could be consumed and degraded by Ag/TNP photocatalysis leading to the concentration of free radicals to decrease. This study revealed a nonsynergistic effect between nanomaterial and EfOM for photocatalysis. EfOM would have a negative effect on photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds by Ag/TNPs in the aquatic environment. Graphical abstract .

Non-activated peroxymonosulfate oxidation of p-aminobenzoic acid in the presence of effluent organic matter

Non-activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) oxidation of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) in the presence of effluent organic matter (EfOM) from wastewater treatment plant was investigated. The reaction kinetics of PMS with PABA exhibited a strong pH dependency, which was well described by species-specific reactions. The transformation of PABA by PMS was inhibited in the presence of EfOM at pH 3.0. Moreover, the variation of EfOM during PMS oxidation processes was tracked using excitation emission matrix (EEM) combined with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The results revealed that humic-like substances and proteins in EfOM consumed a fraction of PMS and thus hindered PABA degradation, which was partly attributable to phenolic compounds widely existed in EfOM. The transformation products of PABA by PMS oxidation were identified by leveraging quadruple time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) coupled with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), and a possible reaction pathway was also proposed. Understanding the role of EfOM in PABA oxidation by PMS is essential for providing useful insights into the application of PMS in advanced treatment of secondary effluent.

Microbiome-Triggered Transformations of Trace Organic Chemicals in the Presence of Effluent Organic Matter in Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) Systems.

It is widely assumed that biodegradation of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) in managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems occurs via a cometabolic transformation with dissolved organic carbon serving as primary substrate. Hence, the composition facilitating bioavailability of the organic matter seems to have a great impact on TOrCs transformation in MAR systems. The aim of this study was to elucidate the character of effluent organic matter present in the feedwater of a simulated sequential MAR system throughout the infiltration by use of FT-ICR-MS analyses as well as spectroscopic methods. Furthermore, compositional changes were correlated with TOrCs targeted throughout the system as well as the abundance of different microbial phyla. On the basis of their behavior throughout the infiltration system in which different redox and substrate conditions prevailed, TOrCs were classified in four groups: easily degradable, redox insensitive, redox sensitive, and persistent. Masses correlating with persistent TOrCs were mainly comprised of CHNO-containing molecules but also of CHO which are known as carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules, while CHOS and CHNOS can be neglected. Easily degradable TOrCs could be associated with CHNO-, CHO-, and CHOS-containing compounds. However, a shift of molecular compounds to mostly CHOS was observed for redox-insensitive TOrCs. Three hundred thirty eight masses correlated with removal of redox-sensitive TOrCs, but no distinct clustering was identified.

Biosorption performance evaluation of heavy metal onto aerobic granular sludge-derived biochar in the presence of effluent organic matter via batch and fluorescence approaches

In present study, the biosorption process of Cu(II) onto aerobic granular sludge-derived biochar was evaluated in the absence and presence of effluent organic matter (EfOM) by using batch and fluorescence approaches. It was found that EfOM gave rise to enhancement of Cu(II) removal efficiency onto biochar, and the sorption data were better fitted with pseudo-second order model and Freundlich equation, in despite of the absence and presence of EfOM. According to excitation-emission matrix (EEM), EfOM was mainly comprised by humic-like substances and fulvic-like substances and their intensities were reduced in the addition of biochar and Cu(II) from batch biosorption process. Synchronous fluorescence spectra coupled to two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) further implied that a successive fluorescence quenching was observed in various EfOM fractions with the increasing Cu(II) concentration. Moreover, fulvic-like fraction was more susceptibility than other fractions for fluorescence quenching of EfOM.

Role of effluent organic matter in the photochemical degradation of compounds of wastewater origin

The photoreactivity of treated wastewater effluent organic matter differs from that of natural organic matter, and the indirect phototransformation rates of micropollutants originating in wastewater are expected to depend on the fractional contribution of wastewater to total stream flow. Photodegradation rates of four common compounds of wastewater origin (sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimethoxine, cimetidine and caffeine) were measured in river water, treated municipal wastewater effluent and mixtures of both to simulate various effluent-stream water mixing conditions that could occur in environmental systems. Compounds were chosen for their unique photodegradation pathways with the photochemically produced reactive intermediates, triplet-state excited organic matter (3OM*), singlet oxygen (1O2), and hydroxyl radicals (OH). For all compounds, higher rates of photodegradation were observed in effluent relative to upstream river water. Sulfamethoxazole degraded primarily via direct photolysis, with some contribution from OH and possibly from carbonate radicals and other unidentified reactive intermediates in effluent-containing samples. Sulfadimethoxine also degraded mainly by direct photolysis, and natural organic matter appeared to inhibit this process to a greater extent than predicted by light screening. In the presence of effluent organic matter, sulfadimethoxine showed additional reactions with OH and 1O2. In all water samples, cimetidine degraded by reaction with 1O2 (>95%) and caffeine by reaction with OH (>95%). In river water mixtures, photodegradation rate constants for all compounds increased with increasing fractions of effluent. A conservative mixing model was able to predict reaction rate constants in the case of hydroxyl radical reactions, but it overestimated rate constants in the case of 3OM* and 1O2 pathways. Finally, compound degradation rate constants normalized to the rate of light absorption by water correlated with E2/E3 ratios (sample absorbance at 254 nm divided by sample absorbance at 365 nm), suggesting that organic matter optical properties may hold promise to predict indirect compound photodegradation rates for various effluent mixing ratios.

Super-fine powdered activated carbon (SPAC) for efficient removal of micropollutants from wastewater treatment plant effluent

In an effort to mitigate the discharge of micropollutants to surface waters, adsorption of micropollutants onto powdered activated carbon (PAC) after conventional wastewater treatment has been identified as a promising technology for enhanced removal of pharmaceuticals and pesticides from wastewater. We investigated the effectiveness of super-fine powdered activated carbon, SPAC, (ca. 1 μm mean particle diameter) in comparison to regular-sized PAC (17–37 μm mean diameter) for the optimization of micropollutant removal from wastewater. Adsorption isotherms and batch kinetic experiments were performed for 10 representative micropollutants (bezafibrate, benzotriazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac, gabapentin, mecoprop, metoprolol, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) onto three commercial PACs and their super-fine variants in carbonate buffer and in wastewater effluent. SPAC showed substantially faster adsorption kinetics of all micropollutants than conventional PAC, regardless of the micropollutant adsorption affinity and the solution matrix. The total adsorptive capacities of SPAC were similar to those of PAC for two of the three tested carbon materials, in all tested waters. However, in effluent wastewater, the presence of effluent organic matter adversely affected micropollutant removal, resulting in lower removal efficiencies especially for micropollutants with low affinity for adsorbent particles in comparison to pure water. In comparison to PAC, SPAC application resulted in up to two-fold enhanced dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal from effluent wastewater. The more efficient adsorption process using SPAC translates into a reduction of contact time and contact tank size as well as reduced carbon dosing for a targeted micropollutant removal. In the tested effluent wastewater (5 mg/L DOC), the necessary dose to achieve 80% average removal of indicator micropollutants (benzotriazole, diclofenac, carbamazepine, mecoprop and sulfamethoxazole) ranged between 13 and 15 mg/L. These promising results warrant pilot-scale tests using super-fine PAC as an alternative to PAC for more efficient micropollutant removal.

Triplet photochemistry of effluent and natural organic matter in whole water and isolates from effluent-receiving rivers.

Effluent organic matter (EfOM), contained in treated municipal wastewater, differs in composition from naturally occurring dissolved organic matter (DOM). The presence of EfOM may thus alter the photochemical production of reactive intermediates in rivers that receive measurable contributions of treated municipal wastewater. Quantum yield coefficients for excited triplet-state OM (3OM*) and apparent quantum yields for singlet oxygen (1O2) were measured for both whole water samples and OM isolated by solid phase extraction from whole water samples collected upstream and downstream of municipal wastewater treatment plant discharges in three rivers receiving differing effluent contributions: Hockanum R., CT (22% (v/v) effluent flow), E. Fork Little Miami R., OH (11%), and Pomperaug R., CT (6%). While only small differences in production of these reactive intermediates were observed between upstream and downstream whole water samples collected from the same river, yields of 3OM* and 1O2 varied by 30-50% between the rivers. Apparent quantum yields of 1O2 followed similar trends to those of 3OM*, consistent with 3OM* as a precursor to 1O2 formation. Higher 3OM* reactivity was observed for whole water samples than for OM isolates of the same water, suggesting differential recoveries of photoreactive moieties by solid phase extraction. 3OM* and 1O2 yields increased with increasing E2/E3 ratio (A254 nm divided by A365 nm) and decreased with increasing electron donating capacities of the samples, thus exhibiting trends also observed for reference humic and fulvic acid isolates. Mixing experiments with EfOM and DOM isolates showed evidence of quenching of triplet DOM by EfOM when measured yields were compared to theoretical yields. Together, the results suggest that effluent contributions of up to 25% (v/v) to river systems have a negligible influence on photochemical production of 3OM* and 1O2 apparently because of quenching of triplet DOM by EfOM. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of whole water studies for quantifying in situ photoreactivity, particularly for 3OM*.

Removal of highly polar micropollutants from wastewater by powdered activated carbon

Due to concerns about ecotoxicological effects of pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants released from wastewater treatment plants, activated carbon adsorption is one of the few processes to effectively reduce the concentrations of micropollutants in wastewater. Although aimed mainly at apolar compounds, polar compounds are also simultaneously removed to a certain extent, which has rarely been studied before. In this study, adsorption isotherm and batch kinetic data were collected with two powdered activated carbons (PACs) to assess the removal of the polar pharmaceuticals 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and cytarabine (CytR) from ultrapure water and wastewater treatment plant effluent. At pH 7.8, single-solute adsorption isotherm data for the weak acid 5-Fu and the weak base CytR showed that their adsorption capacities were about 1 order of magnitude lower than those of the less polar endocrine disrupting chemicals bisphenol A (BPA) and 17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2). To remove 90 % of the adsorbate from a single-solute solution 14, 18, 70, and 87 mg L(-1) of HOK Super is required for EE2, BPA, CytR, and 5-Fu, respectively. Effects of solution pH, ionic strength, temperature, and effluent organic matter (EfOM) on 5-Fu and CytR adsorption were evaluated for one PAC. Among the studied factors, the presence of EfOM had the highest effect, due to a strong competition on 5-Fu and CytR adsorption. Adsorption isotherm and kinetic data and their modeling with a homogeneous surface diffusion model showed that removal percentage in the presence of EfOM was independent on the initial concentration of the ionizable compounds 5-Fu and CytR. These results are similar to neutral organic compounds in the presence of natural organic matter. Overall, results showed that PAC doses sufficient to remove >90 % of apolar adsorbates were able to remove no more than 50 % of the polar adsorbates 5-Fu and CytR and that the contact time is a critical parameter.

Application of advanced oxidation for the removal of micropollutants in secondary effluents

The aim of this work was to study the use of advanced oxidation technologies for micropollutant (atrazine, ATZ) removal in secondary effluents (SE). Experiments were carried out, for comparison purposes, in deionized water and in municipal SE. ATZ concentration, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) were recorded along the reaction time and used to evaluate the system efficiency. Results demonstrate that the presence of effluent organic matter (EfOM) can reduce the effectiveness of the methods to remove ATZ due to the competition of EfOM components to react with OH radicals and/or molecular ozone. ATZ was more easily removed by hydroxyl radicals, however the presence of EfOM promoted higher inhibition of its removal by hydroxyl radicals than by ozone. The addition of Fe as catalyst in the UV/H2O2 system also increased the ATZ removal rate in SE. In addition, direct ATZ photolysis promoted by UV alone must be considered in the assessment of its degradation by UV-based methods.

Effect of effluent organic matter on the adsorption of perfluorinated compounds onto activated carbon

Effect of effluent organic matter (EfOM) on the adsorption of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) onto powdered activated carbon (PAC) was quantitatively investigated at environmentally relevant concentration levels. The adsorption of both perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) onto PAC followed pseudo-second order kinetics and fitted the Freundlich model well under the given conditions. Intraparticle diffusion was found to be the rate-controlling step in the PFC adsorption process onto PAC in the absence and presence of EfOM. The presence of EfOM, either in PFC–EfOM simultaneous adsorption onto fresh PAC or in PFC adsorption onto EfOM-preloaded PAC, significantly reduced the adsorption capacities and sorption rates of PFCs. The pH of zero point of charge was found to be 7.5 for fresh PAC and 4.2 for EfOM-preloaded PAC, suggesting that the adsorbed EfOM imparted a negative charge on PAC surface. The effect of molecular weight distribution of EfOM on the adsorption of PFCs was investigated with two EfOM fractions obtained by ultrafiltration. The low-molecular-weight compounds (<1kDa) were found to be the major contributors to the significant reduction in PFC adsorption capacity, while large-molecular-weight compounds (>30kDa) had much less effect on PFC adsorption capacity.

Evaluating the photodegradation of Carbamazepine in a sequential batch photoreactor system: Impacts of effluent organic matter and inorganic ions

Removal of pharmaceutical Carbamazepine (CBZ) compound from municipal wastewater has become an issue from the human health and environmental risks point of view, due to its latent recalcitrance and toxicity properties. This study investigated the photodegradation performance of a sequential batch annular slurry photoreactor (SB-ASP) system for the removal of CBZ compound from secondary municipal wastewater. Two different immobilised TiO 2 photocatalysts, namely anatase titanate nanofiber and mesoporous TiO 2 impregnated kaolinite catalyst were applied in the SB-ASP system. Various modes of sequential batch reactor (SBR) cycles, presence of effluent organic matter (EOM) and inorganic ions, mainly nitrate and phosphate that could affect the photodegradation performance of the SB-ASP system were evaluated during the removal of CBZ. High performance size exclusion chromatography revealed that the photocatalytic reaction will preferentially compete and attack on high molecular weight EOM prior to the photodegradation of CBZ. The presence of inorganic ions was found to affect the surface fouling of immobilised photocatalysts used to a different extent, without completely retarding their photoactivity. This study also highlighted that the operation of SB-ASP system was useful to enhance the photodegradation of CBZ compound in a semi-continuous operation without constant catalyst replacement. It is foreseeable that the integration of SB-ASP system with biological treatment systems could provide an advanced treatment option for the recycling and reuse of municipal wastewater.

Adsorption of Perfluorinated Compounds onto Activated Carbon and Activated Sludge

The adsorption of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) onto powdered activated carbon (PAC) was investigated in the presence and absence of effluent organic matter (EfOM) at an environmentally relevant concentration range (0.1–500 μg/L). Adsorption of PFOS and PFOA to PAC fitted the Freundlich model well (r2>0.98), and adsorption capacity of PFOS (KF=17.48) and PFOA (KF=10.03) in the absence of EfOM was more than one order of magnitude higher than that in the presence of EfOM (KF=0.66 for PFOS, KF=0.20 for PFOA), indicating that EfOM greatly reduces the adsorption capacity of PAC. Moreover, EfOM was characterized by ultrafiltration, and fractions of nominal molecular weights were obtained to investigate their effect on the PFOS and PFOA adsorption. The fraction of 30 kDa, indicating that the similar molecular size of target compounds was the major contributor to adsorption competition. Additionally, biosorption of P...

Rejection of Emerging Organic Micropollutants in Nanofiltration–Reverse Osmosis Membrane Applications

The rejection of emerging trace organics by a variety of commercial reverse osmosis (RO), nanofiltration (NF), and ultra-low-pressure RO (ULPRO) membranes was investigated using TFC-HR, NF-90, NF-200, TFC-SR2, and XLE spiral membrane elements (Koch Membrane Systems, Wilmington, Massachusetts) to simulate operational conditions for drinking-water treatment and wastewater reclamation. In general, the presence of effluent organic matter (EfOM) improved the rejection of ionic organics by tight NF and RO membranes, as compared to a type-II water matrix (adjusted by ionic strength and hardness), likely as a result of a decreased negatively charged membrane surface. Rejection of ionic pharmaceutical residues and pesticides exceeded 95% by NF-90, XLE, and TFC-HR membranes and was above 89% for the NF-200 membrane. Hydrophobic nonionic compounds, such as bromoform and chloroform, exhibited a high initial rejection, as a result of both hydrophobic-hydrophobic solute-membrane interactions and steric exclusion, but rejection decreased significantly after 10 hours of operation because of partitioning of solutes through the membranes. This resulted in a partial removal of disinfection byproducts by the RO membrane TFC-HR. In a type-II water matrix, the effect of increasing feed water recoveries on rejection of hydrophilic ionic and nonionic compounds was compound-dependent and not consistent for different membranes. The presence of EfOM, however, could neutralize the effect of hydrodynamic operating condition on rejection performance. The ULPRO and tight NF membranes were operated at lower feed pressure, as compared to the TFC-HR, and provided a product water quality similar to a conventional RO membrane, regarding trace organics of interest.