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Transforming end-of-life SWRO desalination membranes into nanofiltration membranes for the treatment of brackish water and wastewater

Author name : Anissa Somrani
Publication Date : 2025-02-07
Journal Name : scientific reports

Abstract

In this study, we explore the possibility of reusing end-of-life seawater reverse osmosis (RO)
membranes to treat brackish water and industrial effluent. Prior to cleaning the end-of-life RO
membranes, we conducted several autopsies in order to assess the extent of degradation. Based
on these results, three cleaning protocols were tested and Ultrasil10 and/or chlorine solution were
selected for further investigation. The cleaning capacity of the chlorine treatment at 4000 ppm.h
was tested but proved inefficient as it leads to a denser cake and a significant decrease in hydraulic
permeability. Therefore, we recommend commencing chemical cleaning with Ultrasil10 to remove
foulants, thereby reconditioning the end-of-life RO membranes to meet nanofiltration membrane
specifications. The cleaned end-of-life RO membranes exhibited enhanced hydraulic permeability
(1.97 L·h⁻¹·m⁻²·bar⁻¹) and achieved a salt rejection of 85% for brackish water (6 g/L NaCl). With a
molecular weight cutoff of 86 Da, these membranes effectively reduced brackish water conductivity
to below 1000 µS/cm at 10 bars, complying with Tunisian drinking water standards (300–2500 µS/
cm). Additionally, they demonstrated high efficiency in treating industrial effluents, achieving
turbidity levels below 2 NTU and conductivity of 180 µS/cm. Operating at lower pressures, these
membranes provided cost-effective, sustainable solutions and performed comparably to commercial
new NF membranes, validating their potential for reuse in brackish water and wastewater treatment
applications.

Keywords

SWRO, brachich water, wastewater, cleaning protocols, autopsy

Publication Link

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88818-3

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