AWWA MTC61145

Low fouling membranes have been touted as a solution to the reduction in performance that is often observed in membrane processes. A recent investigation conducted by Alexander et al., however, found that a number of membranes characterized as "low-fouling" actually had higher fouling propensities than other standard membranes. Nevertheless, the authors could only speculate as to why these membranes performed at these levels. To this end, the study examines the surface characteristics of a low-fouling membrane and compares them to those of a standard reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. The performance of both membranes is characterized using hydrophilic and hydrophobic colloids and discussed in terms of their surface chemistries to determine the mechanisms by which low-fouling membranes may become fouled. Includes 24 references, tables, figures.