Diatomite- and polyvinyl alcohol-modified nonwoven fabric in membrane bioreactor for wastewater reclamation

Abstract

In the current study, diatomite- and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-modified nonwoven fabric was applied in membrane bioreactor (MBR) for wastewater reclamation. The characteristics of the modified nonwoven were elaborated via water contact angle, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. It showed that the hydrophilicity of nonwoven was enhanced, and water contact angle was decreased from 112.71° to 53.83°. SEM images show that the nonwoven fibers are uniformly covered with PVA, and diatomite deposited on nonwoven fabrics is glued by PVA polymer. The performance of modified nonwoven was evaluated in MBR system at a flux of 6.2–16.5 L/m² h. Results showed that the anti-fouling property of modified nonwoven membrane was enhanced, and the effluent qualities could meet the requirements for water reclamation.

Keywords:

• Nonwoven fabric
• Wastewater reclamation
• Diatomite
• Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
• Anti-fouling property

Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by China State Construction Innovation Project (CSCEC-2012-Z-14) and Shanghai Education Research and Innovation Project (Nos: 11ZZ176 and 12YZ153).