Li, Qilin2013-03-082013-03-082012Yu, Cong. "Potential Application of D-Amino Acids in Biofouling Control of Nanofiltration (NF) Membranes." (2012) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/70509">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/70509</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/70509Biofouling is a major impediment for the application of reverse osmosis filtration and nanofiltration in water and wastewater treatment as well as seawater desalination. In this study, a novel biofouling control strategy of using D-amino acids to interfere with biofilm formation was evaluated. Impact of D-amino acids on the surface attachment and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated in batch and continuous flow filtration systems. All 19 D-amino acids demonstrated inhibitive effects on P. aeruginosa biofilm formation. In particular, D-tyrosine was found to strongly inhibit P. aeruginosa attachment and biofilm formation on an NF membrane. When continuously supplemented to the membrane feed water in a bench scale nanofiltration system, it prohibited irreversible biofouling of the NF membrane at concentrations as low as 3 μM. The effectiveness of biofilm control by these D-amino acids seems to strongly depend on the ratio of D-amino acid concentration to bacterial cell number.84 p.application/pdfengCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.Applied sciencesEnvironmental engineeringThesisYuCTHESIS C.E. 2012 YU