Inability of Microorganisms To Degrade Cellulose Acetate Reverse-Osmosis Membranes †

AUTOR(ES)

Ho, Leighton C. W.

RESUMO

Operational cellulose acetate reverse-osmosis membranes were examined for evidence of biological degradation. Numerous fungi and bacteria were isolated by direct and enrichment techniques. When tested, most of the fungi were active cellulose degraders, but none of the bacteria were. Neither fungi nor bacteria were able to degrade cellulose acetate membrane in vitro, although many fungi were able to degrade cellulose acetate membrane after it had been deacetylated. Organisms did not significantly degrade powdered cellulose acetate in pure or mixed cultures as measured by reduction in acetyl content or intrinsic viscosity or production of reducing sugars. Organisms did not affect the performance of cellulose triacetate fibers when incubated with them. The inability of the organisms to degrade cellulose acetate was attributed to the high degree of acetate substitution of the cellulose polymer. The rate of salt rejection decline was strongly correlated with chlorination of feed water and inversely with densities of microorganisms. These data suggest that microbial degradation of operational cellulose acetate reverse-osmosis membranes is unlikely.

Documentos Relacionados

• Improved Fixation of Cellulose-Acetate Reverse-Osmosis Membrane for Scanning Electron Microscopy
• Evaluation of Cleaning Strategies for Removal of Biofilms from Reverse-Osmosis Membranes
• Microbial fouling of reverse-osmosis membranes used in advanced wastewater treatment technology: chemical, bacteriological, and ultrastructural analyses.
• Gastrointestinal health effects associated with the consumption of drinking water produced by point-of-use domestic reverse-osmosis filtration units.
• Adhesion of a Mycobacterium sp. to cellulose diacetate membranes used in reverse osmosis.