TECHNICAL PAPERS
Dec 13, 2002

Modeling Uncoupled Solute Transport in Natural Organic Matter Size Fractionation by Ultrafiltration

Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 129, Issue 1

Abstract

Physicochemical separation of organic macrosolutes and colloidal particles is routinely required during the analysis of natural, waste, and process waters derived from aquatic and terrestrial environmental samples. This study was conducted to demonstrate the utility of a two-parameter nonlinear permeation coefficient model (PCM) in describing the uncoupled transport of solutes in dilute heterogeneous solutions subjected to batch ultrafiltration (UF). The PCM was used in conjunction with natural organic matter (NOM) permeate data for a natural water and six hydrophobic and hydrophilic subfractions to determine permeation coefficients p and NOM concentrations Cr0 with apparent molecular weight less than membrane specific cutoff values of moderately hydrophilic YC/YM series Amicon® UF membranes. Experimentally measured permeation coefficients p determined for the whole water were found to correlate well with composite permeation coefficients p* calculated using a mass-fraction weighted average of individual NOM subfraction permeation coefficient values. Correlation of experimentally measured and calculated permeation coefficient values (p and p*) indicated that the PCM can adequately describe uncoupled transport of chemically distinct solute fractions during batch UF of heterogeneous dilute solutions.

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Go to Journal of Environmental Engineering
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 129Issue 1January 2003
Pages: 33 - 42

History

Received: Aug 28, 2001
Accepted: Apr 9, 2002
Published online: Dec 13, 2002
Published in print: Jan 2003

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Christopher J. Tadanier
Research Assistant Professor, Charles E. Via Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Dept. of Geological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., 5053 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
Duane F. Berry
Associate Professor, Dept. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., 334B Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
William R. Knocke, P.E., M.ASCE
W. Curtis English Professor and Head, Charles E. Via Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., 200 Patton Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061.

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