Student Name

Arun Subramani

Hometown: Chennai, India

B.Tech<= span class=3DGramE>., Chemical Engineering, National Inst= itute of Technology, Trichy, India, 1997

M.S., Chemical Engineering, Missi= ssippi State University, 2002

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E-mail: asubrama@engr.ucr.e= du

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Advisor – Asst. Prof. Eric M.V. Hoek

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, UCLA

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Research Overview

My work focuses on "Biofouling" of me= mbranes: Despite continuous research efforts over the past several decades, biofouli= ng of membranes is still considered one of the most recalcitrant causes of performance decline in membrane separations. Understanding the bacterial attachment process to membrane surfaces is an important step towards combat= ing biofouling of membranes. Colloidal and particulate fouling can be reduced t= o a great extent and controlled from the liquid phase. In the case of biofoulin= g, microorganisms can multiply and hence even a 99.99 % removal of microorgani= sms from the feed stream using pretreatment techniques can still lead to a small percentage of these microorganisms to enter the membrane system, and hence, multiply and form biofilms eventually.

The performance of a membrane system c= an be severely hindered due to the formation of biofilms on the membrane surface. Biofouling of the feed channels can cause significant increase in the pressure and an increase in the hydraulic resistance of the membrane. The formation of the biofilm consists of the formation of a gel l= ayer between the membrane surface and the liquid phase leading to an increase in= the drag resistance to tangential flow and inhibition of convectional transport. The lifetime of the membrane modules could decrease due to increased cleani= ng procedures and damage to the membrane material. The costs associated with t= he plant operation can also increase due to lower flux, decrease in the product quality due to microbial contamination of the product stream, increase in t= he energy costs, and increase in replacement costs. Biofouling has also been f= ound to enhance the corrosion of equipment associated with water treatment.

Presently, we study the initial microb= ial adhesion rates on membrane surfaces using direct microscopic observation (D= MO). DMO can be used to develop a more fundamental understanding of the basic influences of feed solution/suspension properties, membrane materials and operating condition on biofouling in cross flow membrane filtration.

Other Information

Honors and Awards:

· = Outstanding Student Paper Award, June 2005, North American Membrane Society (NAMS) Annual Conference, Providence, Rhode Island

· = Outstanding Student Paper Award, June 2002, MWEA 45th Annual Meeting and Technical Conference, Jackson= , Mississippi

·= ; = Outstanding Student Paper Award, September 2001, Southern States Annual Environmental <= /span>Conference, Biloxi, Mississippi

·= ; = Graduate Research Assistant of the Year Award Nominee (2001-2002): Mississippi State University

·= ; = Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, 2002

·= ; = The Nati= onal Scholars Honor Society, 2000

Professional Societies:

·= ; = North American Membrane Society

·= ; = American Institute Of Chemical Engineers

·= ; = Water Environment Federation

· = American Water Works Association

Personal Webpage=

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Download Resume=

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