Removal of Pharmaceuticals by Ultrafiltration (UF), Nanofiltration (NF), and Reverse Osmosis (RO)

doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-62657-8.00010-0

Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry

Volume 62, 2013, Pages 319-344

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-62657-8.00010-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

In recent years, pressure-driven membrane processes of ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO) are being widely investigated for the removal of pharmaceuticals from various water bodies. UF showed relatively low removal of pharmaceuticals, in most cases < 50%, due to larger molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of this membrane type. In contrast to UF, NF and RO membranes showed high efficiency in rejections of pharmaceuticals from polluted water, in most cases > 90%. The rejection of pharmaceuticals strongly depends on the physicochemical properties of the membrane and solute, as well as feed water composition and operating conditions. Fouling is one of the main drawbacks of NF and RO processes but even so, in some cases, can have a positive effect on solute rejection. In hybrid processes, NF and RO are used as the final processing steps, providing high quality of permeate.

Section snippets

Introduction to the Membrane Pressure Processes

The membrane processes are characterized by the fact that the feed is divided into two streams, that is, into the retentate and the permeate, where both streams may be of interest. However, in practice of water treatment, permeate is considered as the main product. The heart of any membrane process is a membrane that has the ability to transport one component from the feed more readily than the other, due to differences in physical and/or chemical properties between the membrane and the

Removal of Pharmaceuticals by UF

UF is rarely used in the removal of pharmaceuticals research as a single step due to the fact that the molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of UF membranes (10–100 kDa) is at least one order of magnitude above the MW of most micropollutants (< 1 kDa) [5] but is very often applied in hybrid systems (UF/RO treatments [6], [7], [8], [9], conventional activated sludge system (CAS)/UF [9], [10], coagulation–UF [11], [12], etc.). Nevertheless, some papers about the removal of pharmaceuticals with UF membranes

Removal from Ultrapure and Model Waters

Acero et al. [13] investigated the removal of 11 emerging contaminants from ultrapure water with HL and DK poly(piperazine-amide) NF membranes and cellulose acetate CK membrane. The removal of most compounds was above 70%, except for acetaminophen between 11% and 34%.

Dolar et al. [23] investigated the application of RO (LFC-1 and XLE) and NF (NF90, NF270, NF, and HL) membranes for the removal of veterinary antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, dexamethasone, and febantel)

Influences on Pharmaceuticals Rejection by NF and RO

As systematized by Bellona et al. [35], the rejection of solute on RO and NF membranes will be affected by solute and membrane properties, feed water composition, and operating conditions.

Hybrid Systems with UF, NF, and RO

Sahar et al. [9] used CAS–UF/RO and MBR/RO system for the removal of various organic micropollutants treating raw sewage of the Tel-Aviv WWTP. Macrolides (hydrophobic compounds, log K_O/W ~ 3) were efficiently removed by CAS–UF treatment (72–93%), while sulfonamides (hydrophilic compounds, log K_O/W ~ 1) have been removed during CAS–UF for 60–74%. Contribution of UF for the removal of clarithromycin, erythromycin, roxithromycin, trimethoprim, and sulfamethoxazole was 80%, 64%, 55%, > 99.9%, and 55%,

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Chapter 10 - Removal of Pharmaceuticals by Ultrafiltration (UF), Nanofiltration (NF), and Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Abstract

Section snippets

Introduction to the Membrane Pressure Processes

Removal of Pharmaceuticals by UF

Removal from Ultrapure and Model Waters

Influences on Pharmaceuticals Rejection by NF and RO

Hybrid Systems with UF, NF, and RO

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Environ. Pollut.

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Chem. Eng. J.

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J. Environ. Sci.

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