Effect of pressure on desalination of MBR effluents with high salinity by using NF and RO processes for reuse in irrigation

Abstract Clean water sources are quickly depleted since the industrial revolution due to climate change and overpopulation. Use of potable water for agricultural irrigation is under imminent threat. Therefore, it is important to obtain irrigation water from alternative sources such as industrial wastewaters. On the other hand, industrial wastewaters have to be treated well otherwise they can pollute the environment and decrease the irrigation potential of soil. Membrane bioreactor (MBR) effluents of industrial wastewaters have a great potential to be used in agricultural irrigation. In this study, the permeates of NF270 and BW30-RO membranes were produced from MBR effluent discharged from Wastewater Treatment Plant of ITOB Organized Industrial Zone, Menderes, Izmir. They were evaluated for their reuse in agricultural irrigation. While doing this evaluation, effect of operating pressure on water quality was also investigated. It was found that the RO permeate is not suitable to reuse in irrigation. On the other hand, the NF permeate could be suitable for medium-salinity tolerant plants.