Nanofiltration of surface water was investigated in pilot-scale, comparing biofiltration and
rapid media filtration as simple pre-treatment options. The nanofilters were operated
according to the approach established in parts of Scandinavia, where pretreatment is limited
and the membrane flux is low.
Biofiltration resulted in feed water containing lower concentrations of bacteria, total organic carbon (TOC) and Biodegradable organic carbon
(BDOC) and resulted in a profoundly decreased biofilm formation on glass slides compared to
rapid media filtration. Transmembrane pressure increase was in average 5 fold lower for the
nanofilter with biofiltration as pretreatment (NF-BAC) compared to the nanofilter with rapid
media filtration as pretreatment (NF-DM). The NF-BAC membranes contained less
biological-, organic- and inorganic fouling than the NF-DM membranes. Iron, aluminium and
silica were the dominant inorganic elements, while biopolymers (polysaccharides, proteins
and aminosugars) were the dominant organic fouling fraction, despite low concentrations in
the feed waters. Although NF-Bio contained less fouling matter than NF-RMF, no difference
in the fouling composition was observed that would point out a specific component
responsible for the reduced transmembrane pressure. The results of this study indicate that
biofiltration, as a simple pretreatment option, can significantly mitigate fouling problems in
low flux NF installations for natural organic matter (NOM) removal from surface water. Includes 21 references, table, figures.