Influencing mechanism of H2O2 & Fe2+ pre-treatment on natural organic matter fouling behavior of membranes
MIAO Rui1,2, TIAN Man-lin1, YANG Yi-fan1, MI Yue1, WANG Lei1,2, HUANG Dan-xi1,2
1. Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; 2. Research Institute of Membrane Seperation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an 710055, China
Abstract：Membrane fouling caused by natural organic matter (NOM) is a significant challenge that impedes the efficient and cost-effective operation of ultrafiltration (UF) systems. This study investigates the effectiveness of a trace-level pre-treatment using H2O2 and Fe2+ to mitigate membrane fouling induced by humic acid (HA), a model NOM. The results demonstrate that the addition of 100μmol/L Fe2+ and H2O2, followed by a 20-minute reaction, significantly reduces flux decline from 83% to 20% and enhances flux recovery from 26% to 100%, without the need for acidic conditions. The fouling reduction capability increases with both the duration of the reaction and the dosages of H2O2 and Fe2+, surpassing the individual effects of H2O2, Fe2+, or Fe3+ alone. This improvement is attributed to the generation of carboxyl groups in HA, which triggers a Fenton reaction. The combined oxidation and coagulation processes promote HA aggregation into larger flocs, diminishing HA adhesion to the membrane surface, and ultimately reducing the rate of fouling. The resulting fouling layer is less dense and more easily removable, leading to sustained membrane performance. These findings provide valuable insights into novel strategies for mitigating UF membrane fouling, offering both theoretical and practical contributions to membrane filtration technology.
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