Can Heat-Activated Peroxymonosulfate Be Used as a Pretreatment to Mitigate Fouling for Membrane Distillation: Performance of Individual Organics?

Heat-activated persulfate preoxidation was recently proposed as a potential approach to mitigate membrane fouling in distillation (MD) for treating actual water. However, the possible mitigation mechanism involved has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we explored relationship between and pretreatment of natural organic matter (NOM) solutions with peroxymonosulfate (PMS). Individual humic acid (HA), bovine serum albumin (BSA), sodium alginate (SA) contaminants were chosen model NOM samples. The degradation efficiency heat-activated PMS investigated. removal rates improved dose activation temperature feed increased. Specific flux (J/J0) measurements coupled multiple characterizations performed assess behavior. data showed that when conducted without PMS, pure HA caused most severe fouling, followed by BSA, whereas SA almost no fouling. After preoxidation, oxidation products unexpectedly more despite reduction amount NOM. Further work is needed evaluate working complex streams.