Preozonation Effects on the Reduction of Reverse Osmosis Membrane Fouling in Water Reuse

The purpose of this bench-top study was to demonstrate the feasibility and effect of applying ozone and ozone/peroxide upstream of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes as a means of controlling organic fouling during reuse applications. A series of ozone or ozone/peroxide doses was applied to surface water and a membrane bioreactor (MBR) filtrate using a HiPOx® reactor skid, with ozone-to-dissolved organic carbon ratios of approximately 0.25 to 1.75. Results from the flat-sheet testing indicate that both ozone- and ozone/peroxide-treated waters, even at the lowest ozone dose of 1.5 mg/L, fouled the membranes less than the MBR filtrate and surface control waters while both treated and control waters maintained consistent levels of salt rejection throughout the tests.