Formation of membrane fouling and removal mechanism of contaminants in osmotic microbial fuel cells in the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances

IF 11.4 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Water Research Pub Date : 2025-06-15 DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.124033

Shilong Li, Hua Zhang, Qiusheng Gao, Liang Duan

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Abstract

The osmotic microbial fuel cell (OsMFC) is an innovative wastewater treatment technology that integrates electricity generation with clean water extraction. OsMFC has the potential to treat industrial wastewater. However, membrane fouling poses a significant challenge to the practical application of OsMFC. This study examines the effect of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) on membrane fouling in OsMFCs. After long-term operation, it was found that the presence of PFAS reduced the water flux of OsMFC and aggravated the membrane fouling. Exposure to PFAS resulted in poor surface hydrophilicity. The membrane fouling was composed of α-D-glucopyranose, β-D-glucopyranose, proteins, and cells. Under PFOA exposure conditions, membrane fouling of OsMFC mainly occurred at the initial stage of operation. While PFOS existed, membrane fouling developed slowly. Further, the membrane cleaning methods and their effects were investigated. Among them, physical cleaning can achieve an ideal water flux recovery rate (up to 95%). Further, to solve the problem that the removal rate of PFOA and PFOS was not ideal, more than 60% of PFOA and PFOS were removed by optimizing the hydraulic retention time. Finally, the distribution and fate of PFOA and PFOS in OsMFC were determined. Adsorption removal by biofilm was the main way of their removal. This study provides a reference for the sustainable operation of membrane reactors in the presence of PFAS and the optimization of the biological removal process of PFAS in wastewater.

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全氟烷基物质存在下渗透微生物燃料电池膜污染的形成及污染物的去除机理

渗透微生物燃料电池（OsMFC）是一种创新的污水处理技术，集发电和净水提取于一体。OsMFC具有处理工业废水的潜力。然而，膜污染对OsMFC的实际应用提出了重大挑战。本研究考察了全氟辛酸（PFOA）和全氟辛烷磺酸（PFOS）对osmfc中膜污染的影响。经长期运行发现，PFAS的存在降低了OsMFC的水通量，加重了膜污染。暴露于PFAS导致表面亲水性差。膜污染主要由α- d -葡萄糖、β- d -葡萄糖、蛋白质和细胞组成。在PFOA暴露条件下，OsMFC膜污染主要发生在运行初期。当全氟辛烷磺酸存在时，膜污染发展缓慢。进一步研究了不同的膜清洗方法及其效果。其中，物理清洗可达到理想的水通量回收率（可达95%）。为解决PFOA和PFOS去除率不理想的问题，通过优化水力停留时间，PFOA和PFOS去除率达到60%以上。最后，确定了PFOA和PFOS在OsMFC中的分布和归宿。生物膜吸附去除是其主要的去除方式。本研究为膜反应器在PFAS存在下的可持续运行以及废水中PFAS的生物去除工艺优化提供了参考。

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来源期刊

Water Research 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

20.80

自引率

9.40%

发文量

1307

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Water Research, along with its open access companion journal Water Research X, serves as a platform for publishing original research papers covering various aspects of the science and technology related to the anthropogenic water cycle, water quality, and its management worldwide. The audience targeted by the journal comprises biologists, chemical engineers, chemists, civil engineers, environmental engineers, limnologists, and microbiologists. The scope of the journal include: •Treatment processes for water and wastewaters (municipal, agricultural, industrial, and on-site treatment), including resource recovery and residuals management; •Urban hydrology including sewer systems, stormwater management, and green infrastructure; •Drinking water treatment and distribution; •Potable and non-potable water reuse; •Sanitation, public health, and risk assessment; •Anaerobic digestion, solid and hazardous waste management, including source characterization and the effects and control of leachates and gaseous emissions; •Contaminants (chemical, microbial, anthropogenic particles such as nanoparticles or microplastics) and related water quality sensing, monitoring, fate, and assessment; •Anthropogenic impacts on inland, tidal, coastal and urban waters, focusing on surface and ground waters, and point and non-point sources of pollution; •Environmental restoration, linked to surface water, groundwater and groundwater remediation; •Analysis of the interfaces between sediments and water, and between water and atmosphere, focusing specifically on anthropogenic impacts; •Mathematical modelling, systems analysis, machine learning, and beneficial use of big data related to the anthropogenic water cycle; •Socio-economic, policy, and regulations studies.