DEPOSITED WHEY-PROTEIN LAYERS INFLUENCE SOLUTE REJECTION IN REVERSE-OSMOSIS

A membrane process is often accompanied by build-up of deposited layers on the membrane surface. Such layers change the performance of the system (e.g. the flux and rejection of solutes). Whey proteins were deposited on a reverse osmosis membrane to increase solute rejection. A gel-like deposited layer increased the rejection level of the system, while a porous deposited layer did not affect it. Further, in-situ denaturation of whey proteins helped to form the effective gel-like secondary membrane.