Article
Environmental Sciences
Takahiro Fujioka, My Thi Tra Ngo, Ryo Makabe, Tetsuro Ueyama, Haruka Takeuchi, Tran Thi Viet Nga, Xuan-Thanh Bui, Hiroaki Tanaka
Summary: The study demonstrated that the novel submerged flat-sheet NF membrane module has low fouling propensity and high separation performance during the direct filtration of surface water. The NF system showed high rejection of color and organics, with minimal increase in transmembrane pressure. The removal efficiency of total organic carbon was also high.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhaoyang Su, Ting Liu, Thomas Seviour, Shuo Li, Long Tian, Guotao Zhang, Wenzheng Yu
Summary: In the last decades, membrane-based nanofiltration (NF) technique has been widely applied for safe and high-quality drinking water production worldwide. However, high operation cost and membrane fouling remain significant challenges. This study proposes an optimized design for membrane-based NF plants inspired by natural biopolymers present in the feed water. The findings suggest that biopolymers can alleviate membrane fouling and improve effluent quality within a certain concentration range, providing valuable insights for more energy-efficient NF technology.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yan Chen, Huiping Li, Weihai Pang, Baiqin Zhou, Tian Li, Jian Zhang, Bingzhi Dong
Summary: The study shows that using sand filtration and ozone-biological activated carbon pre-treated water as feed water is an effective strategy to combat membrane fouling in nanofiltration, while ensuring high-quality drinking water.
Review
Environmental Sciences
K. Nirmala, Gayathri Rangasamy, M. Ramya, V. Uma Shankar, G. Rajesh
Summary: Plastic pollution is a growing concern as plastic particles are found in the atmosphere, land, and water due to various pathways. Recent research has shown that plastic particles are present everywhere, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. The ingestion of plastic by all living organisms is natural given the widespread microplastic pollution in the environment. The accumulation of microplastics poses a threat to living beings, and its consequences are still being studied. This review highlights the research conducted by scientists on microplastics in different drinking water sources, emphasizing the need for a uniform protocol for analyzing microplastics quantitatively and qualitatively. It is crucial to address and expand research on microplastic pollution as an ongoing environmental concern.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Danyang Liu, Johny Cabrera, Lijuan Zhong, Wenjing Wang, Dingyuan Duan, Xiaomao Wang, Shuming Liu, Yuefeng F. Xie
Summary: This study investigated the use of loose NF membranes for treating high turbidity and organic matter content in sand filtration effluent. The results showed high rejection of organic matter but severe membrane fouling, mainly dominated by organic fouling and inorganic fouling caused by aluminum-bearing substances. Alkaline cleaning was ineffective in removing foulants, but EDTA under alkaline conditions successfully restored membrane permeance.
FRONTIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chu Zhou, Yuanyuan Luo, Keying Xiong, Senlin Shao
Summary: This study successfully implemented a water treatment method using nanofiltration with ultralow flux, which achieved zero fouling, low maintenance, and low carbon emissions, addressing several challenges in the application of nanofiltration.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Senlin Shao, Fanxi Zeng, Li Long, Xuewu Zhu, Lu Elfa Peng, Fei Wang, Zhe Yang, Chuyang Y. Tang
Summary: Nanofiltration (NF) membranes, especially crumpled NF membranes, have shown great potential in various environmental applications. This critical review classifies the morphologies of crumpled NF membranes and summarizes the mechanisms and fabrication methods involved in their formation. The transport of water and solutes in these membranes is discussed, highlighting their potential to improve membrane performance. The review also emphasizes the environmental applications of these membranes and identifies future research opportunities and needs.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
My Thi Tra Ngo, Tetsuro Ueyama, Ryo Makabe, Xuan-Thanh Bui, Long D. Nghiem, Tran Thi Viet Nga, Takahiro Fujioka
Summary: The study demonstrated that direct nanofiltration treatment of secondary treated effluent can efficiently remove organics and produce high-quality recycled water, with membrane fouling minimized by controlling low water flux.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zi-yi Yuan, Yun-fei Li, Tian-yu Li, Jia-long Yao, Jian-feng Zhang, Xiao-mao Wang
Summary: Residual aluminum, specifically in the form of Ala-NOM complexes, is a significant contributor to nanofiltration membrane fouling in drinking water treatment. Increasing the concentration of both residual aluminum and coexisting natural organic matter aggravates membrane fouling. Residual aluminum produced from polyaluminum chloride has a higher membrane fouling potential compared to that produced from aluminum chloride.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Peng Gao, Sun-Jie Xu, Zhen-Liang Xu, Ping Li, Yu-Zhe Wu, Lan-Qian Li, Hai-Zhen Zhang
Summary: High-flux fine hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes were successfully prepared using polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes as substrates. The optimal preparation conditions were determined through orthogonal experiments, resulting in high flux and salt rejection rate. The membranes showed excellent antifouling performance and potential for drinking water purification.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mohammad T. Alresheedi, Seyedeh Laleh D. Kenari, Benoit Barbeau, Onita D. Basu
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential for significant fouling control on an UF membrane by alternating the stress on the membrane surface through flux modulation. By modulating the flux, the fouling index values can be decreased while maintaining membrane productivity.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arif Nawaz, Muhammad Atif, Adnan Khan, Mohsin Siddique, Nisar Ali, Falak Naz, Muhammad Bilal, Tak H. Kim, Malwina Momotko, Hameed Ul Haq, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: Unplanned anthropogenic activities and rapid industrial revolution pose a serious threat to both terrestrial and aquatic life. The discharge of wastewater from dye-using industries is particularly damaging to organisms and the environment. This study focuses on the synthesis of polycationic selenides (PCS) using hydrothermal methods for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes. The synthesized PCS were characterized using various techniques such as FTIR, SEM, EDX, UV/Vis, and XRD, confirming their structure and composition.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Long Tian, Peng Zhou, Zhaoyang Su, Ting Liu, Nigel Graham, Tom Bond, Wenzheng Yu
Summary: This study investigated the impact of water quality parameters on nanofiltration membrane fouling and found that hydrophobic NOM, biopolymer content, and high molecular weight components play important roles in NF membrane fouling.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Deepak Surendhra Mallya, Sara Abdikheibari, Ludovic F. Dumee, Shobha Muthukumaran, Weiwei Lei, Kanagaratnam Baskaran
Summary: Given that surface water is the primary supply of drinking water worldwide, the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) in surface water presents difficulties for water treatment facilities. Nanofiltration (NF) membranes can effectively solve this problem, but NOM fouling remains a challenge, necessitating the development of fouling-resistant membranes. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of NOM removal, operation, mechanisms, fouling, and its controlling variables in NF. It critically assesses the potential of surface-engineered NF membranes, and examines the effect of surface alteration, interactions with solutes and foulants, and applications in water treatment.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zoulkifli Amadou-Yacouba, Julie Mendret, Geoffroy Lesage, Francois Zaviska, Stephan Brosillon
Summary: This study investigates the impact of pre-ozonation of real MBR effluent on nanofiltration performances. The results show that ozonation has a low effect on organic carbon mineralization, but it effectively degrades specific organic matter fractions. Pre-ozonation has a beneficial effect in reducing membrane fouling and flux decrease. This study suggests that partial mineralization of organic matter through ozonation can be beneficial in reducing inorganic scaling and severe NF membrane fouling.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jc Duran-Alvarez, R. Del Angel, D. Ramirez-Ortega, D. Guerrero-Araque, R. Zanella
Article
Chemistry, Applied
J. C. Duran-Alvarez, V. A. Hernandez-Morales, M. Rodriguez-Varela, D. Guerrero-Araque, D. Ramirez-Ortega, F. Castillon, P. Acevedo-Pena, R. Zanella
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan C. Duran-Alvarez, Carolina Martinez, Adriana C. Mera, Raquel Del Angel, Nini J. Gutierrez-Moreno, Rodolfo Zanella
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ivette Martinez-Vieyra, Mario Rodriguez-Varela, Diana Garcia-Rubio, Beatriz De la Mora-Mojica, Juan Mendez-Mendez, Carlos Duran-Alvarez, Doris Cerecedo
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Juan C. Duran-Alvarez, Carolina Martinez-Avelar, Eduardo Gonzalez-Cervantes, Ricardo A. Gutierrez-Marquez, Mario Rodriguez-Varela, Ana Sofia Varela, Felipe Castillon, Rodolfo Zanella
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY A-CHEMISTRY
(2020)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Diana L. Hernandez-Arellano, Juan C. Duran-Alvarez, Rodolfo Zanella, Rigoberto Lopez-Juarez
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
K. T. Drisya, M. Solis-Lopez, J. J. Rios-Ramirez, J. C. Duran-Alvarez, A. Rousseau, S. Velumani, R. Asomoza, A. Kassiba, A. Jantrania, H. Castaneda
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Juan C. Duran-Alvarez, Blanca Jimenez, Mario Rodriguez-Varela, Blanca Prado
Summary: Mezquital Valley is the world's largest reuser of wastewater for agricultural irrigation, with small landholders identified as the main drivers of change. The threat of wastewater treatment to the status quo can be alleviated by building a functional learning community between academia and farmers, allowing for the development of sustainable water management strategies.
CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mario Rodriguez-Varela, Juan C. Duran-Alvarez, Blanca Jimenez-Cisneros, Olivia Zamora, Blanca Prado
Summary: An analytical method based on liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was validated to quantify five perfluorinated carboxylic acids in wastewater produced in a megacity. Short-chain PFCA were abundant, while concentrations of PFOA and PFUnA remained lower in both sampling sites. The study found that furtive discharges of municipal and industrial wastewater increased the levels of short-chain PFCA, while those of PFOA and PFUnA were depleted.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Juan C. Duran-Alvarez, Mario Rodriguez-Varela, Erick J. Verdeja-Munoz, Maria S. Cordova-Aguilar
Summary: In this study, HPLC-ESI-MS was utilized to analyze the main monosaccharides in prickly pear mucilage. Differences in monosaccharide composition were found in mucilage extracted from fresh and pruned cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica, possibly due to aging of the cladodes.
JOURNAL OF FOOD MEASUREMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alejandra Gallegos-Alcaino, Nathaly Robles-Araya, Camila Avalos, Alexander Alfonso-Alvarez, Carlos A. Rodriguez, Hector Valdes, Norma A. Sanchez-Flores, Juan C. Duran-Alvarez, Monserrat Bizarro, Francisco J. Romero-Salguero, Adriana C. Mera
Summary: In this study, response surface methodology was used to optimize the synthesis conditions of BiOI/mordenite composites. The results showed that the optimal synthesis conditions were 187 degrees C and 9 h. Furthermore, changes in the experimental conditions were found to affect the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the composite material.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrea-Lorena Garduno-Jimenez, Juan Carlos Duran-Alvarez, Ruth Silvana Cortes-Lagunes, David A. Barrett, Rachel L. Gomes
Summary: This study investigates the sorption characteristics of tramadol in different soils and finds that soils with higher clay content have stronger sorption capacity for tramadol. The study also reveals that tramadol from wastewater effluent is more readily adsorbed by soils, indicating that clay soils can effectively retain tramadol from irrigation water.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yara C. Almanza-Arjona, Juan C. Duran-Alvarez, Ernesto Fernandez-Urtusastegui, Claudia S. Castrejon-Perezyera
Summary: This study presents a teaching practice using analogy-based approach to compare the chemical kinetics of consecutive reactions and the model of COVID-19 outbreak, guiding students through mathematical modeling and discussions on fundamental kinetics. The teaching approach helps students gain insights into the effects of kinetic parameters on reaction rates and fosters their mathematical and computational skills.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Fernanda Anaya-Rodriguez, Juan C. C. Duran-Alvarez, K. T. Drisya, Rodolfo Zanella
Summary: Nowadays, scientists and developers from different areas are showing increasing interest in heterogeneous photocatalysis for water treatment and hydrogen production. However, there is a lack of focus on the modeling and development of reaction systems for upscaling the process. This work presents the current knowledge on upscaling photocatalysis for water purification and green H-2 production, discussing the challenges from photoreactor adaptation, process competitiveness, and safety perspectives. Furthermore, it explores the application of Green Chemistry and Engineering Principles in the heterogeneous photocatalysis process and the role of automation and high-throughput methods in upscaling.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Andrea-Lorena Garduno-Jimnezenez, Juan-Carlos Duran-Alvarez, Catharine A. Ortori, Salah Abdelrazig, David A. Barrett, Rachel L. Gomes
Summary: Wastewater reuse for agricultural irrigation in the Tula Valley, Mexico is common, but the environmental risk of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) has not been extensively studied. This research conducted sampling and analysis in the Tula Valley, finding ten CECs of environmental risk, with six not previously quantified. Over one hundred previously unidentified pollutants were also detected, including area-specific pollutants such as the herbicide fomesafen. This study contributes to understanding the presence of CECs in the Global South and provides specific data for the Tula Valley.
