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MEMBRANES FOR REMOVING ORGANICS FROM DRINKING WATER
Citation:
Fronk, C., B. Lykins, Jr., AND J. Carswell. MEMBRANES FOR REMOVING ORGANICS FROM DRINKING WATER. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/A-93/270 (NTIS PB94120037).
Description:
Membranes have historically been used to remove salts and other inorganic compounds from water but recently both bench-scale and field studies have shown their effectiveness for removing organic compounds from drinking water. wo different membrane types have been evaluated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: high pressure membranes and low pressure membranes. igh pressure membranes are those using pressures between 150 to 400 psig. hese membranes are commonly called reverse osmosis membranes. uring bench-scale studies, reverse osmosis membranes tested included cellulose acetate, polyamide, and thin-film composites. These membranes were used to treat multisolute, aqueous solutions in the concentration range of 6 to 153 ug/L. emoval efficiencies for alkanes, alkenes, aromatics, and pesticides showed that thin-film composite membranes were more effective than the polyamide or cellulose acetate membranes. t a research site in Suffolk County, New York, removal of agricultural contaminants by reverse osmosis was evaluated on the bench and in a pilot plant. ercent removals for long term pilot plant evaluation for aldicarb sulfone, aldicarb sulfoxide, 1,2 dichloropropane, and carbofuran ranged from 53% to more than 95%. ow pressure membranes are usually operated at or below 150 psig. hese membranes, normally called ultrafiltration membranes, were evaluated at various sites in Florida to investigate their efficiency for removing disinfection byproduct precursors. fter membrane selection trials were completed, a mobile trailer was used to evaluate the performance of the selected membrane. ith a system recovery (permeate flow/raw water flow) of 75 percent at one groundwater site, the average reduction of trihalomethane formation potential and total organic halide was 95 percent and 96 percent from raw water averages of 456 ug/L and 977 ug/L, respectively.