Rejection of steriod hormone estrone by NF/RO membranes

Abstract

A laboratory-scale crossflow membrane filtration system was used to investigate estrone rejection by NF/RO membranes in different water matrix. In single-organic solutions, initial excellent removal performances of all membranes could be attributed to their adsorption capabilities and size exclusion, while when the adsorption of estrone into membranes reached equilibrium, size exclusion would become the overriding removal mechanism. Water chemistry was important in determining estrone rejection at later filtration stage. In NOM-containing solutions, estrone rejection depended on both type of NOM (dextran and HA) co-present and solution chemistry. Greatest HA effect on the fate and transport of estrone occurred at low pH, IS and calcium concentration. In treated effluents estrone removal efficiencies were consistently higher than the results obtained in single-organic solutions. HpoA fraction made crucial contribution to this improvement. The strongest b enhancement effectb of HpoA on estrone rejection was observed at high pH, high IS and low calcium concentration.