Evaluation of pretreatment routes for seawater desalination by nanofiltration.

Nanofiltration (NF) has been used as the default sulfate removal process in platforms to treat seawater for water flooding. Seawater is generally pretreated by chlorination and cartridge filters to reduce fouling of the membranes; however, this pretreatment is insufficient to provide water quality high enough to maintain the productivity of the NF membranes. In this study, the performances of two different pretreatment routes were evaluated.

Membrane biorreactor, reverse osmosis and UV/HO process integration for ethinylestradiol removal: A cost-benefit analysis.

The presence of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) in water bodies and its potential risks to human health and the environment have been frequently described in the literature, in addition to its limited removal in conventional wastewater treatment plants. Many studies have evaluated this removal by advanced processes, including photodegradation and membrane separation. A significant number of studies also assess the economic analysis of these technologies.

Ethinylestradiol removal of membrane bioreactor effluent by reverse osmosis and UV/HO: A technical and economic assessment.

Synthetic hormone 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is not completely removed by conventional wastewater treatment plants and therefore is often detected in surface and groundwater, sludge and sediments. Due to its persistence in the environment and its estrogenic potential, a high removal of EE2 from wastewaters before its disposal has become a concern from an environmental point of view, particularly when considering urban reuse applications. This work investigated the application of advanced processes to treat synthetic municipal wastewater containing EE2 after treatment in a membrane bioreactor (MBR).

Fouling mitigation in produced water treatment by conjugation of advanced oxidation process and microfiltration.

This work explored the use of ozonation and photoperoxidation before the microfiltration process to reduce fouling. Produced water was synthesized with salt, viscosifier, and surfactant. The additives influence on membrane fouling was evaluated.

Comparison of morphological and functional outcomes of mouse sciatic nerve repair with three biodegradable polymer conduits containing poly(lactic acid).

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-containing nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) are currently being investigated for nerve repair as an alternative to autograft, which leads to permanent functional impairment in the territory innervated by the removed nerve. Combination of polymers modifies the physical properties of the conduits, altering their nerve-guidance properties. Conduits made from PLA-only or combined with other polymers have been used successfully for nerve repair, but their efficiency has not been compared.

Technological Prospection on Membranes Containing Silver Nanoparticles for Water Disinfection.

Background: Membrane separation is an established technological process, and since 1980s, it has been used commercially at large industrial plants worldwide. Water and wastewater disinfection is one of the applications of membrane technologies, but fouling and biofouling are still a challenge for the sector. The use of silver nanoparticles in membranes has attracted research interest because of their biocidal action.

Evaluation of biodegradable polymer conduits--poly(L-lactic acid)--for guiding sciatic nerve regeneration in mice.

Polymeric biomaterials are often used for stimulating nerve regeneration. Among different conduits, poly(lactide acid) - PLA polymer is considered to be a good substrate due to its biocompatibility and resorbable characteristics. This polymer is an aliphatic polyester which has been mostly used in biomedical application.

Oxygen-controlled biosurfactant production in a bench scale bioreactor.

Rhamnolipids have been pointed out as promising biosurfactants. The most studied microorganisms for the aerobic production of these molecules are the bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas. The aim of this work was to produce a rhamnolipid-type biosurfactant in a bench-scale bioreactor by one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from oil environments.