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Effects of pH on sodium alginate membrane fouling and its thermodynamic analysis

Authors： YAO Lingxiang, TENG Jiaheng, LIN Hongjun

Units： College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University

KeyWords： ultrafiltration; membrane fouling; sodium alginate; pH; thermodynamic analysis

ClassificationCode：TU991.24； X703

year,volume(issue):pagination： 2025,45(1):30-39

Abstract：

?Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes are widely recognized for their ease of operation and efficient separation capabilities, positioning them as a crucial tool in addressing global water scarcity. However, membrane fouling, particularly that caused by natural organic matter (NOM), has significantly hampered the widespread application of this technology. For this purpose, in this study, sodium alginate was taken as the model pollutant to simulate the membrane fouling phenomenon under different pH conditions. The dead-end filtration results indicated that the sodium alginate solution had severe scaling at pH=3, which was significantly higher than that under other pH conditions. As the pH rose to 7, the membrane fouling was significantly mitigated, and the specific filtration resistance (SFR) decreased by approximately 77%. The surface properties of the foulants were characterized using Zeta potential analysis and contact angle measurement, and interfacial thermodynamic modeling was conducted with the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory to investigate the underlying mechanisms thoroughly. Results indicated that under different pH environments, electrostatic repulsion between foulants and changes in interfacial free energy between the foulants and the membrane were critical factors influencing fouling behavior. These findings provide important theoretical support for understanding membrane fouling phenomena and offer new perspectives and strategies for developing effective fouling control measures.

Funds：

浙江省自然科学基金项目（LQ24E080017）

AuthorIntro：

姚凌翔（1997-），男，浙江台州人，硕士生，从事膜污染机理、污水处理及资源化研究等.

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