Integration of Membrane Filtration and Photolysis Processes for Drinking Water Treatment

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Engineering and Technology Sciences, Chemical Engineering.

Water is a fundamental resource for life. The presence of hazardous micropollutants such as pesticides and hormones in drinking water sources as well as the evidence of their presence in several treated waters raised concerns regarding the quality of the water intended for human consumption. The development of new technologies which are able to cope with these micropollutants and ensure the fulfillment of future more stringent regulations is therefore needed. Low pressure ultraviolet direct and indirect photolysis (using hydrogen peroxide and titanium dioxide) and nanofiltration are extremely promising technologies to effectively remove organic micropollutants from water.(...)