Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Science - Department of Organic Chemistry

Scale deposition is considered as one of the most critical problems which lead to permeate flux decline and deterioration of membrane surface in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants which results from high salinity and water hardness. Thus, firstly studying the hydrochemical characteristics of ground and seawater samples collected from Ras Sudr (Sudr area) as a case study is very necessary to determine the scale type that formed in RO desalination plants.The best control technique is the preparation of some polymeric antiscalants; preparation of Polycarboxylate copolymer (MA-AMPS) and chitosan derivatives (CG and CMG). The antiscalants are characterized by FT-IR and¹ H-NMR. Then, evaluation of the antiscalants behavior on RO membrane through synthetic experiments at various doses (6, 10, 15 mg.L⁻¹) for CaSO₄ scale retardation and with doses (10, 15, 20 mg.L⁻¹) for CaCO₃ crystals and compared the effect of chitosan derivatives with the effect of pure chitosan (Cs). Application of antiscalants on real water from study area at low doses with both ground and seawater was performed. Evaluation experiments of antiscalants were achieved by measuring normalized flux and SEM analysis to test the RO performance and change in crystals morphology

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