VIRUS REMOVAL FROM WATER AND WASTE-WATER USING MEMBRANES

Membranes are finding increasing application in disinfection processes for raw water and municipal effluent reuse. The efficiency of virus r emoval is vitally important if membranes are to become widespread in t hese applications. In particular the ability of microfiltration (MF) t o adequately retain viruses is of interest. This paper describes exper imental studies of poliovirus transmission through 0.2 mu m microfiltr ation (MF) and 30 kD cut-off ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. Transmiss ion was measured for both dead end and stirred conditions and for tran smembrane pressure values of 25, 50, 100 and 200 kPa. Feed solutions c ontaining virus only, virus in the presence of biomass (E. coli) and v irus in the presence of turbidity were used. It was found that UF memb ranes give complete rejection of virus and that MF membranes gave sign ificant removals under appropriate conditions.