Phosphorus concentration in water affects the biofilm community and the produced amount of extracellular polymeric substances in reverse osmosis membrane systems

Javier, Luisa; Pulido-Beltran, Laura; Kruithof, Joop; Vrouwenvelder, J.S.; Farhat, Nadia M.

doi:10.3390/membranes11120928

Phosphorus concentration in water affects the biofilm community and the produced amount of extracellular polymeric substances in reverse osmosis membrane systems

Title

Phosphorus concentration in water affects the biofilm community and the produced amount of extracellular polymeric substances in reverse osmosis membrane systems

Author

Javier, Luisa (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)
Pulido-Beltran, Laura (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)
Kruithof, Joop (Wetsus, Centre for Sustainable Water Technology)
Vrouwenvelder, J.S. (TU Delft BT/Environmental Biotechnology; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)
Farhat, Nadia M. (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

Date

2021

Abstract

Biofouling is a problem that hinders sustainable membrane-based desalination and the stratification of bacterial populations over the biofilm’s height is suggested to compromise the efficiency of cleaning strategies. Some studies reported a base biofilm layer attached to the membrane that is harder to remove. Previous research suggested limiting the concentration of phosphorus in the feed water as a biofouling control strategy. However, the existence of bacterial communities growing under phosphorus-limiting conditions and communities remaining after cleaning is unknown. This study analyzes the bacterial communities developed in biofilms grown in membrane fouling simula-tors (MFSs) supplied with water with three dosed phosphorus conditions at a constant biodegradable carbon concentration. After biofilm development, biofilm was removed using forward flushing (an easy-to-implement and environmentally friendly method) by increasing the crossflow velocity for one hour. We demonstrate that small changes in phosphorus concentration in the feed water led to (i) different microbial compositions and (ii) different bacterial-cells-to-EPS ratios, while (iii) similar bacterial biofilm populations remained after forward flushing, suggesting a homogenous bacterial community composition along the biofilm height. This study represents an exciting advance towards greener desalination by applying non-expensive physical cleaning methods while manipulating feed water nutrient conditions to prolong membrane system performance and enhance membrane cleanability.

Subject

Bacterial communities
Membrane cleaning
P limitation
Phosphate limitation
Reverse osmosis seawater desalination

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:bd966440-6ee8-4575-9f86-5de581bbb2c1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11120928

ISSN

2077-0375

Source

Membranes, 11 (12)

Part of collection

Institutional Repository