Overcoming fouling challenges in ultrafiltration for drinking water treatment

Ultrafiltration-based-membrane technology has been introduced as a viable and promising solution in drinking water treatment and wastewater reuse applications. However, in this technology membrane fouling presents a crucial challenge hindering its widespread use and sustainability. Membrane fouling increases the operational costs and decreases membrane lifetime due to backwashing, chemical cleaning, and ultimately membrane replacement in a shorter time. Ultrafiltration reversible fouling can be removed by reversing backwashing and chemical cleaning of membrane pores, on the other hand, irreversible fouling is persistent and membrane flux is not restored to its original state. An extensive understanding of reversible and irreversible fouling mitigation still needs more investigation. This review will focus on the technologies and methods used in controlling UF fouling and conclude the most effective method for UF fouling mitigation. The fundamentals of fouling are addressed, the methods of reversible and irreversible fouling control are summarized, factors that influence fouling are presented, and the results of controlling fouling methods are illustrated and discussed to conclude the most effective method for mitigating UF fouling. This review found that coagulation with an aiding coagulant and alternate disinfection such as chlorine dioxide and potassium ferrate were promising technologies as a pretreatment to mitigate ultrafiltration fouling.