Impacts of Seawater Chemistry on Membrane Fouling and Cleaning

A major fouling concern in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants is the increased biomass generated during algal blooms. Algae, bacteria, and their exudates are present in high concentrations, and thus, have the potential to foul RO membranes. Although, membrane fouling by colloids and dissolved organics has been studied extensively for brackish and wastewater applications, fouling behavior may be very different in seawater due to the high ionic strength and suppression of electrical double layer interactions. We found that seawater chemistry plays a critical role in determining RO membrane and algal biopolymer interfacial properties, and thus, the rate and extent of SWRO membrane fouling.