Yusuf Wibisono, Wahyunanto Agung Nugroho, Iqbal Shalahuddin, Fajri Anugroho, Wetra Yandi
Microalgal biofouling presents a significant challenge to membrane filtration systems, leading to decreased efficiency and increased operational costs. This study investigates the efficacy of 3-Sulfopropyl Methacrylate Potassium Salt (SPMA) hydrogel coatings applied to polypropylene (PP) membranes via microwave plasma and grafting methods for durable microalgal antifouling. Successful grafting onto PP surfaces was confirmed by FTIR, revealing characteristic sulfonate and carbonyl functional groups, with grafting percentages around 3 % for both methods. Stability tests in seawater (3 % salinity) and deionized water demonstrated minimal weight loss (<0.0005 g/cm2) over 24 h, indicating strong coating adhesion and chemical resistance. Antifouling performance assessed against four microalgal species (Spirulina sp., Isochrysis sp., Nitzschia sp., Tetraselmis sp.) showed that SPMA-coated surfaces significantly reduced microalgal adhesion by nearly 80 %, with the grafting method consistently outperforming plasma treatment. The antifouling effect is attributed to the combined influence of enhanced hydrophilicity and electrostatic repulsion from the negatively charged sulfonate groups, with adhesion differences linked to microalgal size and zeta potential. These findings demonstrate SPMA hydrogel coatings as promising, environmentally friendly antifouling strategies for membrane technologies, potentially improving operational efficiency and longevity. Future work will focus on long-term durability under dynamic flow conditions and assessing effects on membrane filtration performance. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.
Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65141, Indonesia; Department of Agro-Industrial Engineering, IPB University, Dramaga IPB Campus, PO Box 220, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia; Department of Environmental Engineering, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65141, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, 581 83, Sweden; MILI Institute for Water Research, Kawasan Industri Jababeka, Cikarang Utara, Bekasi, 17530, Indonesia
