• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.354-361
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• 2008

Effects of operational conditions and solution chemistry on permeate flux in a hybrid ozone-ceramic ultra-filtration (UF) membrane system treating natural organic matter (NOM) were investigated. Results showed that the extent of permeate flux decline was higher at higher cross-flow velocity and ozone dosage, but it was higher at lower transmembrane pressure (TMP). The mechanism of fouling mitigation was found to be more dependent upon reaction between ozone and natural organic matter at/near catalytic membrane surface than scouring effect due to ozone gas bubbles. Addition of calcium into model NOM solution at high pH led to significant decline in permeate flux while the calcium effect on permeate flux decline was less pronounced at lower pH. After permeate flux decline during the early stage of filtration, the flux started recovering and approached fully to the initial value of it due to degradation of NOM by catalytic ozonation at ceramic membrane surface in the hybrid ozone-ceramic membrane system.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.113-133
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• 1998

In activated sludge process, sludge settling condition is affected by organic loading rate or operation condition, and if settling condition is getting worse, it is common that overall process fails due to wash-out of biomass causing low concentration in the aeration tank. Also activated sludge process has such several problems as requiring large area, consuming a lot of power and producing large volume of sludge. Increased public concern over health and the environment combined with a strong desire to reduce capital, operating and maintenance costs, have created a need for innovative technologies for building new high quality effluents which vail meet 21st century crkeria. MBR(Membrane Bioreactor) process consists of a biological reactor and ultrafiltration(UF) membrane system that replaces the conventional clarifier of an activated sludge process. The main operating advantages of this system are that the quality of the effluent is independent of the settleability of the mixed liquor and that the effluent is free of suspended solids in any operating condition. It is possible to eliminate clarifier and to reduce the volume of aeration tank because it can afford to accumulate high biomass concentration in the bioreactor(20, 000~30, 000mg/L), which would not be possible in a conventional activated sludge process. Therefore, this process reduces overall treatment plant area. In addition to those advantages, Longer SRT condition enables higher sludge digestion in MBR process so the sludge volume produced is 50 to 70% lower than that of conventional activated sludge process There are two kinds of MBR process according to the allocations of membrane. One is cross flow type MBR of which module is located outside of the bioreactor and mixed liquor is driven into the membrane module. The other is submerged type MBR process of which module is submerged in the bioreactor and mixed liquor is generally sucked from the lumen side. addition to that the cake layer is often removed by the uplifting flow of bubbling air. A submerged MBR process is superior to a crossflow MBR in regard to the power consumption because suction pressure of a submerged MBR is generally lower than that of a crossflow MBR which has recirculation pump. A submerged MBR, therefore, has the potential to be applied to small wastewater treatment plants that need low cost treatment systems.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.317-322
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• 2005

A simple and convenient method of immobilizing dextransucrase via an affinity interaction is described, along with the use of this system to synthesize leucrose. Dextransucrase was produced in sucrose-free medium by fermenting a constitutive mutant of Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-512F and was separated using an ultrafiltration membrane. The purified enzyme was free of dextran polymer, which previously was always found with the sucrose-induced enzyme. Therefore, it was possible to immobilize the enzyme on dextran-based resins using an affinity interaction. Sephadex G-200 was the best resin for immobilizing the dextransucrase and gave a fast flow rate through the packed column. The immobilized dextransucrase retained more than 80% of its specific activity after immobilization ($K_m\;=\;18.1\;mM$ and $k_{cat}\;=\;450\;sec^{-1}$ vs. 13.1 mM and $640\;sec^{-1}$, respectively, for the free enzyme). The immobilized dextransucrase showed improved stability over a pH range of 4.0 to 6.5 and at moderately high temperatures over $40^{\circ}C$. When immobilized dextransucrase was used to synthesize leucrose via the transfer reaction with sucrose and fructose, about 74% of the sucrose was converted into leucrose after one day, and the half-life of the enzyme activity was 15 days. Regeneration of the resin by supplementation with dextransucrase enabled the recovery of the initial activity of the system, but both the reaction and the flow rate were lower, probably owing to the accumulation of dextran inside the resin.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.292-298
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• 2003

In this study, the photooxidation and ozonation of humic acid (HA) in aqueous solution were conducted and the treated HA samples at different reaction time were analyzed using ultrafiltration techniques to evaluate the change of their molecular size distributions with its DOC removal. Molecular size distribution of untreated HA showed 41.5% in higher molecular size fractions (>30,000 daltons) and 15.2% in much smaller molecular size fraction (<500 daltons). As UV irradiation time was increased, it was observed that the degradation of the large molecules of the fraction of >30,000 daltons into much smaller molecules was increased. In UV system, the HA molecules of the fraction of <500 daltons became significantly more and its percentage was increased from 35.3% (UV only irradiation) to 58.9% ($UV/TiO_2$) and 87.8% ($UV/H_2O_2$) in the presence of the photocatalysis. Otherwise, ozonation of HA produced mainly the fraction of medium molecular size ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 daltons with much lower portion (<~7%) in the fraction of <500 daltons. In ozone only system, the fraction of 30,000~10,000 daltons occupied in 41.5% at 60 min of ozonation time. In $O_3/H_2O_2$ system, the fraction of 30,000~10,000 daltons and 10,000~3,000 daltons occupied in 38.9% and 36.2% respectively. Based on these results, we suggested applicable treatment process which could be combined with $UV/H_2O_2$, $UV/TiO_2$ and $O_3$, $O_3/H_2O_2$ system for more effective removal of humic acid in water treatment.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.329-338
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• 2004

In this study the discharged wastewater from paper manufacturing plant was filtrated by 4 kinds of tubular ceramic microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes (carbon material) with periodic water-back-flushing, and we tried to find the optimum back-flushing time (BT). As results of water-BT effect for each ceramic membrane, the longer BT was more effective for a membrane having the larger pore size. And we could acquire the most volume of total permeate and the highest recovery efficiency of purified water, Then, the results of permeate flux vs. initial permeate flux during 180 min's operation showed that the longer BT was more effective for longer filtration time (FT) to obtain the higher permeate flux because membrane fouling proceeded deeply at long FT condition. And the optimum BT that founded from the trends of membrane fouling resistances almost accorded with the optimum BT from the trends of permeate flux, too.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.313-325
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• 2016

South Africa recognises piped water as the main source of safe drinking water supply. Remote areas do not have access to this resource and they rely solely on surface water for survival, which exposes them to waterborne diseases. Interim point of use solutions are not practiced due to their laboriousness and alteration of the taste. Bio-ultra low pressure driven membrane system has been noted to be able to produce stable fluxes after one week of operation; however, there is limited literature on South African waters. This study was conducted on three rivers namely; Umgeni, Umbilo and Tugela. Three laboratory systems were setup to evaluate the performance of the technology in terms of producing stable fluxes and water that is compliant with the WHO 2008 drinking water guideline with regards to turbidity, total coliforms and E.coli. The obtained flux rate trends were similar to those noted in literature where they are referred to as stable fluxes. However, when further comparing the obtained fluxes to the normal dead-end filtration curve, it was noted that both the Umbilo and Tugela Rivers responded similarly to a normal dead-end filtration curve. The Umgeni River was noted to produce flux rates which were higher than those obtainable under normal dead-end. It can be concluded that there was no stabilisation of flux noted. However, feed water with low E.coli and turbidity concentrations enhances the flux rates. The technology was noted to produce water of less than 1 NTU and 100% removal efficiency for E.coli and total coliforms.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2018

Hollow fiber (HF) membranes are gaining wide interest over flat membranes due to their compaction and high area to surface volume ratio. This work addresses the fabrication of HF from polysulfone (PS) and polyethersulfone (PES) using N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent in addition to other additives to achieve desired characteristics. The semi-pilot spinning system includes jacketed vessel, four spinneret block, coagulation and washing baths in addition to dryer and winder. Different parameters affecting dry-wet spinning phase inversion process were investigated. Dope compositions of PES, NMP and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) of varying molecular weights as additive were addressed. Some critical parameters of importance were also investigated. Those include dope flow rate, air gap, coagulation & washing baths and drying temperatures. The measured dope viscosity was in the range from 1.7 to 36.5 Pa.s. Air gap distance was adjusted from 20 to 45 cm and coagulation bath temperature from 20 to $46^{\circ}C$. The HF membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM) and mechanical properties. Results indicated prevalence of finger like structure and average surface roughness from about 29 to 78.3 nm. Profile of stress strain characteristics revealed suitability of the fibers for downstream interventions for fabrication of thin film composite membrane. Different empirical correlations were formulated which enable deeper understanding of the interaction of the above mentioned variables. Data of pure water permeability (PWP) confirmed that the fabricated samples fall within the microfiltration (MF)-ultrafiltration (UF) range of membrane separation.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.279-292
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• 2017

This study was aimed at ultrafiltration (UF) as a pretreatment before reverse osmosis (RO) within the scheme of hybrid reverse osmosis-multistage flush (RO-MSF) desalination. Seawater at elevated temperature (after MSF heat-exchangers) was used as a feed in this process. The pretreatment system was represented as a set of functionally-linked technological segments such as: UF filtration, backwashing, chemical- enhanced backwashing, cleaning, waste disposal, etc. The process represents the sequences of operating cycles. The cycle, in turn, consists of the following unit operations: filtration, backwashing and chemical-enhanced backwashing (CEB). Quantitative assessment was based on the following indicators: normalized permeability, transmembrane pressure, specific energy and water consumption, specific waste generation. UF pre-treatment is accompanied by the following waste streams: $W1=1.19{\times}10$ power of $-2m^3$ (disposed NaOCl with 0.0044% wt.)/$m^3$ (filtrate); $W2=5.95{\times}10$ power of $-3m^3$ (disposed $H_2SO_4$ with 0.052% wt.)/$m^3$(filtrate); $W3=7.26{\times}10$ power of $-2m^3$ (disposed sea water)/$m^3$ (filtrate). Specific energy consumption is $1.11{\times}10$ power of $-1kWh/m^3$ (filtrate). The indicators evaluated over the cycles with conventional (non-chemical) backwashing were compared with the cycles accompanied by CEB. A positive impact of CEB on performance indicators was demonstrated namely: normalized UF resistance remains unchanged within the regime accompanied by CEB, whereas the lack of CEB results in 30% of its growth. Those quantitative indicators can be incorporated into the target function for solving different optimization problems. They can be used in the software for optimisation of operating regimes or in the synthesis of optimal flow- diagram. The cycle characteristics, process parameters and water quality data are attached.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2001

Rapid backpulsing to reduce membrane fouling of hollow fiber ultrafiltration module (polyacrylonitrile with 50000 l'vlWCO, 1.4 rom OD and 0,9 mm ID) was studied with latex solutions. Values estimated by a theoretical model were compared with the ones obtained from the systems with or without backpulsing, Specific Cake resistance, time consUmt for cake growth, diffusion coefficient, and the rate constants of fnur fouling models; the complete, intermediate. standard blocking and cake filtration were calculated to obtain the theoretical values. High frequency backpulsing gave net increase of fluxes by 40~120%. Fluxes predicted by the model were in good agreement with experimental ones within 14% error bound, The optimum backpulsing strength was acquired at 20% in the ranges of 20~40% strength and the optimum frequcncv was acquired at 2 Hz in the ranges of 0.67~3 Hz.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1145-1151
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• 2017

In this study, we report on a simple, efficient method for obtaining penicillin G amidase (PGA) from recombinant Escherichia coli using a formulation mixed with detergent and lysozyme. Research was conducted on the extraction efficiency of PGA from the periplasmic space in cells in terms of the type of detergent, detergent concentration, pH, reaction time, and temperature of permeabilization. The extraction yield of PGA in the formulated surfactant/lysozyme treatment was increased by approximately (55-65 U/ml) in comparison with that in the single surfactant treatment. The released PGA solution was concentrated and exchanged with buffer using an ultrafiltration (U/F) system. The yields of diatomite filtration, membrane filtration (M/F), and U/F were 69.7%, 93.8%, and 77.3%, respectively. A total of 212 KU of PGA was recovered. At the 25-L culture scale, the overall yield of extraction using the mixed surfactant/lysozyme method was 49.2%. The specific activity of extracted PGA was 11 U/mg in protein. The concentrated PGA solution was immobilized on microporous silica beads without further purification of PGA. The total immobilization yield of PGA on the resin was 48.7%, while the enzyme activity was 101 U/g. The immobilized PGA was successfully used to produce 6-APA from penicillin G. Our results indicated that a simple extraction method from periplasmic space in E. coli may be used for the commercial scale production of ${\beta}-lactam$ antibiotics using immobilized PGA.