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Page 27
June 06-07, 2019 | London, UK
2nd International Conference on
Tissue Science and Molecular Biology,
Stem Cells & Separation Techniques
Joint Event
Biomedical Research (An International Journal of Medical Sciences) | ISSN: 0976-1683 Volume 30
Notes:
Antifouling grafting of nanofiltration membranes: New insights into membrane foul-
ing mechanisms
Ghulam Mustafa, Kenny Wyns, Anita Buekenhoudt and Vera Meynen
Karachi University, Pakistan
M embrane technology can be a flexible and viable
long-term strategy for water treatment. However,
prosperous and effective application of membrane technology
has been hampered by membrane fouling induced by a
wide spectrum of components in water. Particularly,
dissolved natural organic matter (DNOM), a major organic
constituent in surface water, has been considered to be
a significant foulant, strongly reducing the membranes
performance especially for NF (nanofiltration) membranes.
Furthermore, it is well known that membrane fouling by
DNOM is significantly enhanced in the presence of divalent
cations (e.g. Ca 2+). Despite much research and industrial
developments since the early 1960’s, membrane fouling
and especially irreversible fouling remains challenging
and in-depth studies on mechanisms and solutions for
irreversible fouling of inorganic membranes are lacking.
We have developed a smart surface functionalization
method to decrease the fouling tendency by preventing
the undesired adsorption or adhesion of foulants. Focus is
put on two approaches for robust surface functionalization
of ceramic NF membranes using Grignard reagents and
phosphonic acids. The fouling tendency of polymeric and
(surface functionalized) ceramic membranes by DNOM has
been investigated. The effect of inorganic ions on fouling
was different for hydrophilic and hydrophobic membranes.
In hydrophilic membranes, irreversible fouling decreased
in the presence of calcium, while an increase was seen for
hydrophobic membranes. However, methyl functionalized
membranes prepared via Grignard grafting remained
unfouledwith andwithout calcium. This gives interesting new
insights into the membrane fouling mechanisms.
Secondly, the fouling tendency of these membranes
was also tested using different model foulant solutions
and real stream waters. Experimental results revealed
that grafting of NF TiO2 membranes by the mentioned
techniques definitely decreases their fouling tendency.
Especially methyl functionalized membrane (Grignard
method) exhibited a significantly lower propensity to
foul throughout all measurements using model foulants
solutions. Moreover, the antifouling tendency of this
particular membrane has proved also excellent in different
real streams: real surface water (tested also at pilot scale),
olive oil waste water and produced water. All the results
can be elegantly explained taking into account the physico-
chemical properties of membranes and foulants and their
specific interactions.
Speaker Biography
Ghulam Mustafa graduated from University of Leipzig in the field of
structural chemistry and spectroscopy and completed PhD form the
University of Antwerp in the field of Chemistry (Materials Science,
Membrane Science and Engineering, Separation and purification
technologies, Water science) in the year 2016. He worked as a
researcher in the Laboratory of Adsorption and Catalysis UA & Unit
Separation and Conversion Technology VITO Belgium. From 2017 to
present he is working as a assistant professor and as a researcher in
Karachi University.
e:
Ghulam Mustafa et al., Biomed Res, Volume 30
ISSN: 0976-1683