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Chemical Engineering Communications, Vol.197, No.8, 1057-1067, 2010
A COMPARISON BETWEEN VARIOUS HYBRID SYSTEMS OF MICROFILTRATION MEMBRANE AND BACTERIA FOR REMOVAL OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
A hybrid experimental system was employed to study the effect of bacteria in combination with microfiltration membrane for removal of organic compounds from aqueous solutions. The effects of three types of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were elucidated using four types of microfiltration (0.2m cellulose acetate, 0.45m cellulose nitrate, 0.45m polyamide, and 0.2m polytetra-fluorethylene) membranes. The bacteria were cultured in Trypton Soya Agar (TSA) media and suspended in 0.9% NaCl solution. Bacteria were settled on the membrane surface to completely cover the surface and form several layers. This was carried out by applying vacuum in the permeate side of the membrane and confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Although the microfiltration process was not able to reject the small molecules, the hybrid system was able to remove organic compounds up to 90%. The interaction between bacteria and organic compounds is responsible for pronounced removal. However, the hybrid system exhibited no effectiveness for the elimination of organic solvents. The highest filtration efficiency was obtained using Escherichia coli on the surface of 0.2m cellulose acetate membrane. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was more effective than Staphylococcus epidermidis.
Keywords:Bacteria;Escherichia coli;Hybrid;Membrane;Microfiltration;Pseudomonas aeruginosa;Staphylococcus epidermidis