Biofouling potential of chemicals used for scale control in RO and NF membranes

Abstract The potential of 14 different antiscalants (AS) to promote biofouling was determined with the easily assimilable organic carbon (AOC) test and the Biomass Production Potential (BPP) test, respectively. The AOC concentrations of slow sand filtrate supplemented with 50 mg/l of AS ranged from 4 to 112 μg of C/l, and maximum concentrations of adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) from 7 to 380 ng/l, respectively. Concentrations of AOC and BPP were not related to the organic carbon content of the AS's tested. Biofilm Formation Rate (BFR) values of three selected AS's, as determined with the biofilm monitor at a concentration of 2.5 mg/l, were 245, 18.1 and