Concentration of saline wastewater from the production of heparin

Studies concerning the application of membrane distillation (MD) for the co ncentration of spent solution from heparin production have been reported. T he experiments were performed with polypropylene capillary membranes. These membranes had pore sizes with a nominal and maximum diameter of 0.2 mu m a nd 0.6 mu m, respectively, and 73% porosity. A rapid flux decline was obser ved during the MD process of wastewater concentration as a consequence of b oth fouling and scaling phenomena. Boiling of wastewater followed by filtra tion permitted the separation of the foulants in the form of a deposit. Suc h pretreated feed was concentrated by the MD process without a flux decline . This process resulted in the production of pure water with electrical con ductivity in the range of 5-10 mu S/cm and brine. The presence of Pseudomon as and Streptococcus faecalis bacteria and Penicillium and Aspergillus fung i was detected in the concentrated wastewater. The polypropylene membranes used did not reject Streptococcus faecalis bacteria; hence, they were detec ted in distillate.