Abstract

Biofouling control in reverse osmosis membranes (ROMs) is challenging due to the high cost of treatments, and reduction in the life of ROMs. This study characterizes the biofouling in the ROMs from a desalination plant and reports its effective removal using the supernatant obtained fromAlteromonassp. strain Ni1-LEM. The characterization of the bacterial community revealed that the most abundant taxa in ROMs were the generaFulvivirgaandPseudoalteromonas, and unclassified species of the families Flavobacteriaceae and Sphingomonadaceae. This bacterial community significantly decreased upon treatment with the supernatant fromAlteromonassp. Ni1-LEM, resulting in the prevalence of the genusPseudoalteromonas. Furthermore, this bacterial supernatant significantly inhibited cell adhesion of seven benthic microalgae isolated from ROMs as well as promoting cell detachment of the existing microbial biofilms. The study showed that the extracellular supernatant modified the conformation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the biofouling of ROMs without any biocidal effects.