Control and cleaning of membrane biofouling by energy uncoupling and cellular communication.

This study investigated possible biological control of membrane biofouling and membrane cleaning by disrupting energy metabolism of microorganisms. Results showed that 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), a typical uncoupler, could not only significantly inhibit membrane biofouling but also enhance biofilm detachment from nylon membrane. Inhibited ATP synthesis by a chemical uncoupler resulted in lowered production of autoinducer-2 (AI-2). The standard dead-end microfiltration tests further confirmed that the reduced AI-2 was positively correlated to the reduced fouling resistance of nylon membranes. It appears that inhibition of energy metabolism would be a promising alternative for control and cleaning of membrane biofouling.