The partial solution for the growing contamination of the environment is the implementation of new technologies. The most of the currently operated systems for surface and groundwaters treatment as well as for wastewater treatment characterize with complex technological arrangements based on a number of unit operations. In water-wastewater management membrane processes are more often applied, especially those in which the difference of pressure at both membrane sites is used as a driving force. As an example of such application is the use of nanofi ltration for groundwaters treatment at Water Treatment Plant Zawada near Dębica or the treatment of municipal landfi ll leachate and industrial wastewater at Eko Dolina Waste Utilization Plant in Łężyce near Gdynia (reverse osmosis unit capacity of 120 m /d). Municipal wastewater treatment based on membrane technologies has already been implemented at domestic wastewater treatment plant. It is especially profi table, when the load of contaminant present in a wastewater varies within a year. In the case of membrane systems use, this issue can be neglected. As an example of membrane based system may serve WWTP in Rowy n/Ustka started up in 2013 and modernized in 2017. The latest trends and developments of selected suppliers of membrane systems are also presented.
The paper presents the results of studies on the changes in the PAHs concentration during pre-filtration and ultrafiltration (UF) processes. In the study, biologically treated wastewater (after denitrification and nitrification processes), discharged from the biological treatment plant and used in coke plant, was used. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used in order to qualify and quantify the PAHs. Sixteen PAHs listed by EPA were determined. The wastewater samples were collected three fold and initially characterized for the concentration of nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, COD, TOC and pH. In the first step, wastewater was filtrated on the sand bed. Total concentration of 16 PAHs in the treated wastewater before initial filtration was in the range of 44.8‒53.5 mg/L. During the process the decrease in the concentration of the most studied hydrocarbons was observed. Concentration of PAHs after initial filtration ranged from 21.9 to 38.3 μg/L. After the initial filtration process the wastewater flew to the ultrafiltration module and then was separated on the membrane (type ZW-10). The total concentration of 16 PAHs in the process of ultrafiltration was in the range of 8.9‒19.3 mg/L. The efficiency of removal of PAHs from coke wastewater in the process of ultrafiltration equaled 66.6%. Taking into account the initial filtration, the total degree of removal of PAHs reached 85%. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using the ultrafiltration process with the initial filtration as additional process in the coke wastewater treatment.
Abstract: Introduction and development of membrane techniques in the production of drinking water and purifi cation of wastewaters, in the last 40 years, was important stage in the field of water treatment effectiveness. Desalination of sea and brackish water by RO is an established way for drinking water production. Signifi cant improvements in design of RO, the application of alternative energy sources, modern pretreatment and new materials have caused the success of the process. NF is the method of water softening, because NF membranes can retain di- and multivalent ions, but to a limited extend monovalent. Drinking water containing viruses, bacteria and protozoa, as well as other microorganisms can be disinfected by means of UF. Viruses are retained by UF membranes, whereas bacteria and protozoa using both UF and MF membranes. For the removal of NOM it is possible to use direct NF or integrated systems combining UF or MF with coagulation, adsorption and oxidation. The use of NF, RO and ED, in the treatment of water containing micropollutants for drinking and industrial purposes, can provide more or less selective removal of the pollutants. The very important are disinfection byproducts, residue
of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds. For endocrine disrupting compounds, special attention is paid onto polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and surface-active substances, chlorinated pesticides, phthalates, alkylphenols, polychlorinated biphenyls, hormones, synthetic pharmaceuticals and other substances disposed to the environment. The application of MF and UF in the removal of inorganic and organic micropollutants is possible in integrated systems with: coagulation, adsorption, complexion with polymers or surfactants and biological reactions.