A KMUTT team developed a two-stage modified polyethersulfone membrane process for organic removal, biofouling control, and partial ion separation in high-strength seasoning wastewater. It achieved 92.27% COD removal and 88% first-stage flux recovery, but long-term operation, cost, nanoparticle release, and full-scale performance were not established.
Key findings
- A 1:1 dopamine:PEI ratio yielded 88% flux recovery; AgNP incorporation showed activity against S. flexneri, and the ANN achieved R2=0.964. The second stage rejected 53.12% Ca2+ but only 6.53% Na+, while the integrated system removed 92.27% COD.
Why this matters globally
The concept may serve as pretreatment for saline, high-organic food-industry effluent, but concentrate management, membrane lifetime, and life-cycle impacts require evaluation.
Thai researcher contribution
KMUTT chemical engineering, mathematics, and microbiology researchers jointly developed the membranes, two-stage process, and flux-decline model.
Limitations to consider
The abstract omits scale, run duration, cycle count, and feed variability. Activity against one bacterium does not establish real-community biofouling control. ANN R2 may be internal fit without an external test. AgNP and glutaraldehyde use requires leaching, toxicity, disposal, long-term fouling, cost, and energy assessment.
Verify the original sources
Journal of Chemical Technology & BiotechnologyRead the original article↗DOI: 10.1002/jctb.70237