Method of conditioning a mixed liquor containing nonionic polysaccharides and/or nonionic organic molecules

1. A method of treating a membrane biological reactor mixed liquor containing at least one nonionic polysaccharide and amines, alcohols, glycerols, and glycols, the method comprising:

a. conditioning a membrane biological reactor mixed liquor by combining an amount of polygalacturonic acid or salt thereof and the membrane biological reactor mixed liquor, thereby creating a conditioned mixed liquor;

b. after mixing the conditioned mixed liquor for about 10 minutes, further conditioning the conditioned mixed liquor by combining an amount of a water soluble amphoteric polymer and the conditioned mixed liquor, thereby creating a further conditioned mixed liquor; and

c. after mixing the further conditioned mixed liquor for about 10 minutes, continuously passing the further conditioned mixed liquor through a membrane at a suction pressure ranging from 1 to 7 psi;

wherein the amounts of the polygalacturonic acid or salt thereof and the water soluble amphoteric polymer in the further conditioned mixed liquor are sufficient to allow for continuous passing of the further conditioned mixed liquor through the membrane for at least 20 hours at a flux of 36 LMH and a suction pressure ranging from 1 to 7 psi.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said water soluble amphoteric polymer is a dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt/acrylic acid copolymer with net positive charge.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of the polygalacturonic acid or salt thereof combined with the mixed liquor is sufficient to provide a concentration of from about 10 ppm to about 200 ppm based upon active solids.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said water soluble amphoteric polymer is dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt (70 mole %)-acrylic acid (30 mole %) copolymer with net positive charge.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is selected from the group consisting of: an ultrafiltration membrane; a microfiltration membrane; a nanofiltration membrane; a reverse osmosis membrane; and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble amphoteric polymer is selected from the group consisting of: acrylic acid/dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt copolymer; diallyldimethylammonium chloride/acrylic acid copolymer; diallyldimethylammonium chloride/acrylic acid/acrylamide terpolymer; and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble amphoteric polymer has a molecular weight from about 5,000 daltons to about 2,000,000 daltons.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble amphoteric polymer has a molecular weight from about 1,000,000 daltons to about 2,000,000 daltons.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble amphoteric polymer has a cationic charge equivalent to anionic charge equivalent ratio of about 0.2:9.8 to about 9.8:0.2.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble amphoteric polymer is a 70/30 mole % blend of dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt and acrylic acid.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the further conditioned mixed liquor or precursor thereof is conditioned with a cationic copolymer of acrylamide and a cationic monomer selected from the group consisting of: diallyldimethylammonium chloride; dimethylaminoethylacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt; dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt; dimethylaminoethylacrylate belzyl chloride quaternary salt; and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cationic copolymer has a cationic charge of at least about 5 mole percent.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cationic copolymer has a cationic charge of 100 mole percent.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cationic copolymer has a molecular weight from about 2,000,000 daltons to about 5,000,000 daltons.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the further conditioned mixed liquor or precursor thereof is conditioned with a cationic polymer selected from the group consisting of: polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride; polyethyleneimine; polyepiamine; polyepiamine crosslinked with ammonia or ethylenediamine; condensation polymer of ethylenedichloride and ammonia; condensation polymer of triethanolamine and tall oil fatty acid; poly(dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate sulfuric acid salt); poly(dimethylaminoethylacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt); and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble amphoteric polymer is selected from dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt/acrylic acid copolymer; diallyldimethylammonium chloride/acrylic acid copolymer; dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride salt/N,N-dimethyl-N-methacrylamidopropyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-ammonium betaine copolymer, acrylic acid/N,N-dimethyl-N-methacrylamidopropyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-ammonium betaine copolymer; dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt/acrylic acid/N,N-dimethyl-N-methacrylamidopropyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-ammonium betaine terpolymer; and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the further conditioned mixed liquor or precursor thereof is conditioned with a zwitterionic polymer selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-acryloyloxyethyl)-N-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium betaine; copolymer of acrylamide and N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-acryloyloxyethyl)-N-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium betaine; terpolymer of acrylamide, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, and 1-(3-sulfopropyl)-2-vinylpyridinium betaine; and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the zwitterionic polymer comprises from about 1 to about 99 mole percent of N,N-dimethyl-N-methacrylamidopropyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-ammonium betaine and from about 99 to about 1 mole percent of one or more nonionic monomers.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the zwitterionic polymer has a molecular weight ranging from about 5,000 daltons to about 2,000,000 daltons.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the amount of the polygalacturonic acid or salt thereof is bonded to at least a portion of the one or more polysaccharides via hydrogen bonding.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the further conditioned mixed liquor or precursor thereof is conditioned with an anionic polymer selected from the group consisting of: glucuronic acid, mannuronic acid, pyruvic acid, alginic acid, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nonionic polysaccharide comprises one item selected from the group consisting of: rhamnose, pyranose, galactose, mannose, dextran, glucan, and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane biological reactor mixed liquor is generated by a membrane biological reactor for treating municipal, institutional, or industrial wastewater.

24. A method of treating a membrane biological reactor mixed liquor comprising from 0.97% to 1.5% mixed liquor suspended solid, at least one nonionic polysaccharide and amines, alcohols, glycerols, and glycols, the method comprising:

a. conditioning a membrane biological reactor mixed liquor by combining an amount of polygalacturonic acid or salt thereof and the membrane biological reactor mixed liquor, thereby creating a conditioned mixed liquor;

b. further conditioning the conditioned mixed liquor by combining an amount of a water soluble amphoteric polymer and the conditioned mixed liquor, thereby creating a further conditioned mixed liquor; and

c. continuously passing the further conditioned mixed liquor through a membrane at a suction pressure ranging from 1 to 7 psi;

wherein about 4 parts by weight of the polygalacturonic acid or salt thereof is present in the further conditioned mixed liquor per about 5 parts by weight of the water soluble amphoteric polymer; and the amounts of the polygalacturonic acid or salt thereof and the water soluble amphoteric polymer in the further conditioned mixed liquor are sufficient to allow for continuous passing of the further conditioned mixed liquor through the membrane for at least 20 hours at a flux of 36 LMH and a suction pressure ranging from 1 to 7 psi.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the further conditioned mixed liquor is continuously passed through the membrane for at least 40 hours at a flux of 36 LMH and a suction pressure ranging from 1 to 7 psi.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the further conditioned mixed liquor is continuously passed through the membrane for at least 60 hours at a flux of 36 LMH and a suction pressure ranging from 1 to 7 psi.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the further conditioned mixed liquor is continuously passed through the membrane for at least 80 hours at a flux of 36 LMH and a suction pressure ranging from 1 to 7 psi.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the amount of the polygalacturonic acid or salt thereof combined with the mixed liquor is sufficient to provide a concentration of about 200 ppm based upon active solids, and the amount of amphoteric polymer combined with the conditioned mixed liquor is sufficient to provide a concentration of about 250 ppm based upon active solids.

29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the amphoteric polymer is dimethylaminoethylacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt/acrylic acid copolymer.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the amphoteric polymer is dimethylaminoethylacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt/acrylic acid copolymer.

31. The method of claim 28 , wherein the amphoteric polymer is dimethylaminoethylacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt/acrylic acid copolymer.