Development and Investigation on a Silver Nanoparticle-Incorporated Electrofiltration System for Biofouling Control

This study developed and investigated a novel water ultrafiltration system which integrates silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and low intensity dc for biofouling control. In this electrofiltration system, the polysulfone-based membrane was incorporated with AgNP as the antimicrobial agent, and connected to the cathode of a power source providing a dc less than 10 μA. The hypothesis is that the electric field will facilitate electrophoretic force to anchor the silver ions and thus prevent silver leaching and prolong the antibiofouling efficacy of the membrane. The results showed that the cathodized AgNP substantially enhanced the permeability and fouling recovery rate of the membrane. The AgNP-based electrofiltration system effectively prevented bacterial colonization and minimized the silver leaching within 48 h. This study shows a great potential of AgNP-based electrofiltration system as an alternative solution for biofouling control in water treatment.