International Symposium on Membrane Biofouling

Please Note...To view and download all symposium slide presentations and notes, please click HERE. Thank you!

Speaker Change. Due to recent unforseen circumstances, Dr. Gil Dhawan is unable to speak at the symposium. Dr. Dhawan's presentation would have addressed the topic of advances in membrane cleaning technologies. In his place, Professor Phil Stewart, Director of the Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University, will instead speak on fundamental and applied aspects of biofilm control in engineered systems. Professor Stewart's biograph may be viewed HERE. We apologize for any inconvenience this program change might have caused.

Purpose of the Symposium. Water quality requirements have risen steadily in recent decades, not only for drinking water applications, but also for sensitive industrial processes and wastewater discharges. To meet more stringent standards, the utility and industrial sectors have increased reliance upon membrane separations, such as nanofiltration and reverse osmosis. This trend will likely continue as greater levels of water quality and treatment system reliability are sought. Membranes are well positioned to achieve these objectives due to a consistent decline in their real costs resulting from improvements in manufacturing efficiencies, better performance, R&D investment, and supply/demand forces. However, membranes are by virtue of their chemical and structural makeup prone to surface fouling phenomena such as mineral scaling or the adsorption of natural organic matter. Fouling is typically accompanied by significant degradation of membrane performance and lifetime. Biological fouling of membranes (i.e., biofouling) is perhaps the most serious and widely occurring form of fouling, as well as being the least well understood in terms of causation, mechanisms, and remedies.

Brief Description. This intensive two-day symposium will explore in detail the fundamental nature of membrane biofouling and identify effective new strategies for its control (see program outline). To achieve this goal, an international panel of recognized experts in the field of membranes and interfacial processes will be convened (see speaker biographs). The latest scientific and technological advancements will be reviewed with the aim of synthesizing a molecular level framework for describing the causes and management options for membrane biofouling. Emphasis will be placed on how to best integrate fundamental theory and knowledge of membrane biofouling processes with real-world problems in water treatment and purification.

Symposium Speakers...
Professor Menachem Elimelech	Yale University, USA
Professor Hans-Curt Flemming	Univ. of Duisberg-Essen, Germany
Professor Tony Fane	Nanyang Technological Univ., Singapore; Univ. of New South Wales, Australia
Professor Eric Hoek	Univ. of Calif., Los Angeles, USA
Professor Greg Leslie	Univ. of New South Wales, Australia
Professor Martin Reinhard	Stanford University, USA
Professor Phil Stewart	Montana State University, USA
Hans Vrouwenvelder, PhD	Wetsus, Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Harry Ridgway, PhD	AquaMem Consultants/Stanford Univ., USA

Symposium Topics/Discussions Will Include...

Biofilms and biofouling ~ development, structure, physiology, genetics
Membrane theory ~ materials, chemistry, structure, and processes
Bacterial adhesion to membrane materials ~ theory and methods
Sustainable membrane technologies ~ materials and energy considerations
Research approaches ~ identifying novel low-fouling membrane materials
Biofilm characterization ~ diagnosis, analysis and quantification
Latest breakthroughs in ~ membrane science and biofilm monitoring
Membrane biofouling control strategies ~ managing membrane biofouling
Membrane biofouling ~ financial and environmental costs
Molecular simulations ~ probing membrane structure and foulant interactions
Poster presentations ~ by attendees (see poster page)

Who Should Attend. Civil and environmental engineers, research scientists, university faculty, facility managers, operations personnel, laboratory technicians and group leaders who wish to review and expand their knowledge of membrane separations and membrane biofouling should consider attending this symposium. Basic knowledge and practical methodologies gained from attending this symposium will enhance the ability of participants to detect and cost-effectively manage membrane biofouling issues at their respective facilities. Strong emphasis will be placed on how participants can apply a detailed knowledge of membrane biofouling to facilitate attainment of their specific R&D goals and facility management objectives.

Symposium Flyer & Brochure. Click HERE to view and print a one-page symposium advertisement (flyer) in JPEG format. Click HERE to view/print a tri-fold symposium brochure in PDF format

. Note...Page 1 is brochure outside; page 2 is inside.