Abstract Mixed-matrix reverse osmosis (RO) membranes have been proposed to outperform standard polyamide thin-film composite (TFC) membranes for the production of high-quality drinking water. We investigated the passage of 30 persistent polar micropollutants (MPs) in a pilot-scale RO system equipped with a 4-inch zeolite-embedded thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane fed with raw riverbank filtrate. Additionally, MPs passage was investigated in a bench-scale system equipped with a 1.8-inch aquaporin-embedded RO membrane. Benchmark TFC membranes were used in both systems. In pilot-scale RO, MPs passage did not exceed 15% and 6% with the TFC and TFN membranes, respectively. In bench-scale RO, MPs passage values of up to 65% and 44% were quantified for the aquaporin and TFC membranes, respectively, suggesting a more open structure of the 1.8-inch modules. In both RO systems, uncharged polar MPs displayed the highest passage values. While neutral MPs of molecular weight lower than 150 Da were better removed by the TFN membrane in pilot-scale RO and by the TFC membrane in bench-scale RO, no substantial differences between passage values of other MPs were observed. Overall, this indicated that nanocomposite and biomimetic membranes are as effective as TFC membranes of the same module size in preventing breakthrough of polar organics.

中文翻译：

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混合基质反渗透膜去除极性有机微污染物

摘要 已提出混合基质反渗透 (RO) 膜在生产高质量饮用水方面优于标准聚酰胺薄膜复合 (TFC) 膜。我们研究了 30 种持久性极性微污染物 (MP) 在配备有 4 英寸沸石嵌入薄膜纳米复合材料 (TFN) 膜的中试规模 RO 系统中的通过，该膜由河岸原滤液供给。此外，在配备 1.8 英寸水通道蛋白嵌入 RO 膜的实验室规模系统中研究 MPs 的通过。两个系统都使用了基准 TFC 膜。在中试规模的 RO 中，使用 TFC 和 TFN 膜的 MPs 通过率分别不超过 15% 和 6%。在实验室规模的 RO 中，水通道蛋白和 TFC 膜的 MPs 通过值分别高达 65% 和 44%，表明 1 的结构更加开放。8 英寸模块。在两个 RO 系统中，不带电的极性 MP 显示出最高的通过值。虽然中试规模 RO 中的 TFN 膜和实验室规模 RO 中的 TFC 膜可以更好地去除分子量低于 150 Da 的中性 MP，但未观察到其他 MP 的通过值之间存在显着差异。总的来说，这表明纳米复合材料和仿生膜在防止极性有机物穿透方面与具有相同模块尺寸的 TFC 膜一样有效。