Abstract: | Abstract The current research is a pilot scale study on membrane fouling in an ozone-ceramic membrane hybrid system, aiming at the reclamation of secondary effluent which contains abundant organic substances and bacteria. Compared with the microfiltration process with 30 mg O3/L feed, the microfiltration without ozone sustained for a longer period of time and produced greater filtrate volume, while all other conditions were kept constant. The results of size exclusive chromatography (SEC) show that the number of large molecules increases after ozonation; this part of organic molecules may contribute more to 0.1 µm membrane fouling. Other evidence proves that ozone brings about the lysis of bacteria. This may account for the increase in the number of large organic molecules after ozonation. |