Reverse osmosis (RO) is being increasingly used in treatment of domestic
wastewater secondary effluent for potable and non-potable reuse. Among other
foulants, dissolved biopolymers, i.e., proteins and polysaccharides, can lead to
severe fouling of RO membranes. In this study, the roles of RO membrane surface
properties in membrane fouling by...
The context of this thesis is a research project focused on the investigation of a renewable biopolymer-poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a potential replacement of petroleum-based polymers in advanced nanocomposites reinforced with Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). MFC is extracted from wood, which is a renewable, sustainable, carbon neutral and recyclable material. This...