Effect of salinity and nanoparticle polydispersity on UF membrane retention fouling

In this study, the retention potential and the fouling of ultrafiltration (UF) multichannel hollow fiber membrane regarding nanoparticles (NPs) have been assessed. Filtration experiments of fluorescent 10 nm and 1.5 nm NPs (respectively NP-10 and NP-1.5) suspensions filtered individually were carried out under different transmembrane pressures. A complexification of the feed suspension through the mix of NPs sizes and/or the salinity adding have been investigated. The retention rate (RR), the fouling location and the membrane productivity have been analyzed and compared in each case to determine the influence of salinity and polydispersity of the feed suspensions on NP retention. Results show that RR of NP-10 stays constant when NPs are filtered in ideal suspension (NP-10 / ultrapure water), or when they are filtered with NP-1.5 and/or with 50 mmol L−1 of NaCl and reaches at least 99%. However, RR of NP-1.5 is modified by the presence of NP-10 and/or 50 mmol L−1 of NaCl. This retention rate is considerably decreased by the complexification of suspensions tested. Estimation of NPs quantity blocked at the membrane at the end of the filtration by mass balance showed no significative variation for NP-1.5 (relative to the RR obtained) while a larger quantity of NP-10 remained blocked at the membrane with the adding of NP-1.5 and/or salts in feed suspension. Location of NPs by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) at the end of the filtration showed that filtered individually, NP-10 are blocked in membrane skin and on membrane surface while NP-1.5 are blocked in the entire membrane material. Filtered simultaneously, the location of these two sizes of NPs is not modified but NP-1.5 seems to form clusters in the membrane material and the participation of NP-10 and NP-1.5 to the deposit formed on the membrane surface is increased. The adding of salinity leads to the same observations than the filtration of both sizes mixed. •Determination of penetration profiles of nanoparticles in UF membrane.•Location of NPs in UF membrane as function of their sizes.•Effect of NPs polydispersity on membrane retention.•Influence of salinity on NPs retention and membrane fouling.