The use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to investigate biomass in membrane systems has increased with time. OCT is able to characterize the biomass in-situ and non-destructively. In this study, a novel approach to process three-dimensional (3D) OCT scans is proposed. The approach allows obtaining spatially-resolved detailed structural biomass information. The 3D biomass reconstruction enables analysis of the biomass only, obtained by subtracting the time zero scan to all images. A 3D time series analysis of biomass development in a spacer filled channel under representative conditions (cross flow velocity) for a spiral wound membrane element was performed. The flow cell was operated for five days with monitoring of ultrafiltration membrane performance: feed channel pressure drop and permeate flux. The biomass development in the flow cell was detected by OCT before a performance decline was observed. Feed channel pressure drop continuously increased with increasing biomass volume, while flux decline was mainly affected in the initial phase of biomass accumulation. The novel OCT imaging approach enabled the assessment of spatial biomass distribution in the flow cell, discriminating the total biomass volume between the membrane, feed spacer and glass window. Biomass accumulation was stronger on the feed spacer during the early stage of biofouling, impacting the feed channel pressure drop stronger than permeate flux.

Aquaporin plays a promising role in fabricating high performance biomimetic forward osmosis (FO) membranes. However, aquaporin as a protein also has a risk of denaturation caused by various chemicals, resulting in a possible decay of membrane performance. The present study tested a novel aquaporin based biomimetic membrane in simulated membrane cleaning processes. The effects of cleaning agents on water flux and salt rejection were evaluated. The membrane showed a good resistance to the chemical agents. The water flux after chemical cleaning showed significant increases, particularly after cleaning with NaOCl and Alconox. Changes in the membrane structure and increased hydrophilicity in the surrounding areas of the aquaporin may be accountable for the increase in water permeability. The membrane shows stable salt rejection up to 99% after all cleaning agents were tested. A 15-day experiment with secondary wastewater effluent as the feed solution and seawater as the draw solution showed a stable flux and high salt rejection. The average rejection of the dissolved organic carbon from wastewater after the 15-day test was 90%. The results demonstrated that the aquaporin based biomimetic FO membrane exhibits chemical resistance for most agents used in membrane cleaning procedures, maintaining a stable flux and high salt rejection.