Water Science & Technology: Water Supply Vol 7 No 4 pp 17–23 © IWA Publishing 2007 doi:10.2166/ws.2007.131
Influence of natural organic matter (NOM) fouling on the removal of pharmaceuticals by nanofiltration and activated carbon filtration
S.G.J. Heijman*,***, A.R.D. Verliefde*,**, E.R. Cornelissen***, G. Amy**** and J.C. van Dijk*,***
*Department of Sanitary Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands (E-mail: s.g.j.heijman@.tudelft.nl)
**Department of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory for Applied Physical Chemistry and Environmental Technology, University of Leuven, W. de Croylaan 46, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium
***Kiwa Water Research, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
****UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, P.O. Box 3015, 2601 DA, Delft, The Netherlands
ABSTRACT
The influence of natural organic matter (NOM) fouling on the rejection of micro pollutants in nanofiltration (NF) and the adsorption during granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration is investigated for a diverse group of pharmaceuticals. These pharmaceuticals were first spiked in feed waters filtered through a virgin NF-membrane and a corresponding NOM fouled membrane. The differences in rejection were never larger than 5%. The rejection of the negatively charged molecules on the fouled membrane slightly decreased and the rejection of the positively charged molecules slightly increased. These trends can be explained by a decrease of the repulsion of negative compounds and a decrease of the attraction of positive compounds by the fouled membrane. The sequential combination of NF and GAC was very effective in removing all types of pharmaceuticals. Compounds not well rejected by nanofiltration were more readily adsorbed by the GAC.
Keywords: Activated carbon filtration; fouling; nanofiltration; pharmaceuticals; rejection
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