Technico-economic assessment of membrane filtration as post-treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwater

This study examines a complementary treatment for denitrified water to improve its bacteriological and physicochemical quality, focusing on turbidity reduction. It combines sugarcane-based heterotrophic denitrification with a post-treatment system using conventional pretreatment (CP) and membrane fi...

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Main Authors: Hanane El Mrabet, Maryem Elazhar, Ibtihal Moussaoui, Jihane Moumouh, Fatima Zahra Addar, Mustapha Tahaikt, Fatima Elazhar, Taky Mohamed, Noureddine El Haloui, Azzeddine Elmidaoui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Desalination and Water Treatment
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625001766
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author Hanane El Mrabet
Maryem Elazhar
Ibtihal Moussaoui
Jihane Moumouh
Fatima Zahra Addar
Mustapha Tahaikt
Fatima Elazhar
Taky Mohamed
Noureddine El Haloui
Azzeddine Elmidaoui
author_facet Hanane El Mrabet
Maryem Elazhar
Ibtihal Moussaoui
Jihane Moumouh
Fatima Zahra Addar
Mustapha Tahaikt
Fatima Elazhar
Taky Mohamed
Noureddine El Haloui
Azzeddine Elmidaoui
author_sort Hanane El Mrabet
collection DOAJ
description This study examines a complementary treatment for denitrified water to improve its bacteriological and physicochemical quality, focusing on turbidity reduction. It combines sugarcane-based heterotrophic denitrification with a post-treatment system using conventional pretreatment (CP) and membrane filtration utilizing microfiltartion (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) in various options like CP + MF, CP + UF, and CP + MF + UF. An economic assessment of these options is also included. The results demonstrate that sugarcane-based heterotrophic denitrification effectively removes 98 % of nitrates. However, sustaining this high level of efficiency requires careful control of parameters such as substrate availability, pH, and oxygen levels. Furthermore, the analysis of the treatment outcomes reveals that water quality achieved with the different post-treatment configurations includes approximately 94 % turbidity removal and 99 % bacterial reduction for the CP + MF configuration. Both CP + UF and CP + MF + UF configurations achieve around 99 % turbidity removal, with complete bacterial elimination. In terms of cost-effectiveness, the most economical option is CP + MF, with a treatment cost of 0.17$/m³ . The next most cost-effective option, CP + UF, comes at a moderate increase of 0.25$/m³ , providing higher water quality. Finally, the most advanced configuration, CP + MF + UF, delivers the highest water quality but at the highest cost of 0.35$/m³ . However, the study recommends using either MF or UF independently in scenarios where cost-efficiency is a critical consideration, whereas the CP + MF + UF option would only increase investment and operational costs.
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spelling doaj-art-3948aaf989bb4ce897bc501ae94fbd642025-08-20T02:03:25ZengElsevierDesalination and Water Treatment1944-39862025-04-0132210116010.1016/j.dwt.2025.101160Technico-economic assessment of membrane filtration as post-treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwaterHanane El Mrabet0Maryem Elazhar1Ibtihal Moussaoui2Jihane Moumouh3Fatima Zahra Addar4Mustapha Tahaikt5Fatima Elazhar6Taky Mohamed7Noureddine El Haloui8Azzeddine Elmidaoui9Laboratory of Biology and Health, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, MoroccoLaboratory of Advanced Materials and Process Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, P.O. Box: 1246, Kenitra, MoroccoLaboratory of Biology and Health, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, MoroccoInternational Water Research Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, MoroccoLaboratory of Biology and Health, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, MoroccoLaboratory of Biology and Health, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, MoroccoLaboratory of Advanced Materials and Process Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, P.O. Box: 1246, Kenitra, Morocco; National School of Chemical Engineering, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco; International Water Research Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco; Corresponding author at: Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Process Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, P.O. Box: 1246, Kenitra, MoroccoLaboratory of Advanced Materials and Process Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, P.O. Box: 1246, Kenitra, Morocco; International Water Research Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, MoroccoLaboratory of Biology and Health, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco; International Water Research Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, MoroccoLaboratory of Advanced Materials and Process Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, P.O. Box: 1246, Kenitra, Morocco; International Water Research Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, MoroccoThis study examines a complementary treatment for denitrified water to improve its bacteriological and physicochemical quality, focusing on turbidity reduction. It combines sugarcane-based heterotrophic denitrification with a post-treatment system using conventional pretreatment (CP) and membrane filtration utilizing microfiltartion (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) in various options like CP + MF, CP + UF, and CP + MF + UF. An economic assessment of these options is also included. The results demonstrate that sugarcane-based heterotrophic denitrification effectively removes 98 % of nitrates. However, sustaining this high level of efficiency requires careful control of parameters such as substrate availability, pH, and oxygen levels. Furthermore, the analysis of the treatment outcomes reveals that water quality achieved with the different post-treatment configurations includes approximately 94 % turbidity removal and 99 % bacterial reduction for the CP + MF configuration. Both CP + UF and CP + MF + UF configurations achieve around 99 % turbidity removal, with complete bacterial elimination. In terms of cost-effectiveness, the most economical option is CP + MF, with a treatment cost of 0.17$/m³ . The next most cost-effective option, CP + UF, comes at a moderate increase of 0.25$/m³ , providing higher water quality. Finally, the most advanced configuration, CP + MF + UF, delivers the highest water quality but at the highest cost of 0.35$/m³ . However, the study recommends using either MF or UF independently in scenarios where cost-efficiency is a critical consideration, whereas the CP + MF + UF option would only increase investment and operational costs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625001766Biological denitrificationCarbon sourcePost-treatmentCost evaluation, Membrane process
spellingShingle Hanane El Mrabet
Maryem Elazhar
Ibtihal Moussaoui
Jihane Moumouh
Fatima Zahra Addar
Mustapha Tahaikt
Fatima Elazhar
Taky Mohamed
Noureddine El Haloui
Azzeddine Elmidaoui
Technico-economic assessment of membrane filtration as post-treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwater
Desalination and Water Treatment
Biological denitrification
Carbon source
Post-treatment
Cost evaluation, Membrane process
title Technico-economic assessment of membrane filtration as post-treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwater
title_full Technico-economic assessment of membrane filtration as post-treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwater
title_fullStr Technico-economic assessment of membrane filtration as post-treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwater
title_full_unstemmed Technico-economic assessment of membrane filtration as post-treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwater
title_short Technico-economic assessment of membrane filtration as post-treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwater
title_sort technico economic assessment of membrane filtration as post treatment of biological denitrification for brackish groundwater
topic Biological denitrification
Carbon source
Post-treatment
Cost evaluation, Membrane process
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625001766
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