THE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION
PROGRAM
&EPA
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
NSF International
ETV Joint Verification Statement
TECHNOLOGY TYPE: POINT-OF-ENTRY DRINKING WATER TREATMENT
SYSTEM
APPLICATION: REMOVAL OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINANTS IN
DRINKING WATER
PRODUCT NAME: HF-82-35-PMPW™ ULTRAFILTRATION MEMBRANE
VENDOR: KOCH MEMBRANE SYSTEMS, INC.
ADDRESS: 850 MAIN STREET
WILMINGTON, MA 01887
PHONE: MAIN - 888-677-5624
CUSTOMER SERVICE - 800-343-0499
FAX: 978-657-5208
EMAIL: INFO@KOCHMEMBRANE.COM
NSF International (NSF) manages the Drinking Water Systems (DWS) Center under the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program. The
DWS Center recently evaluated the performance of the Koch Membrane Systems, Inc. HF-82-35-PMPW
Ultrafiltration (UF) Membrane. NSF performed all of the testing activities and also authored the
verification report and this verification statement. The verification report contains a comprehensive
description of the test.
EPA created the ETV Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved environmental
technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information. The goal of the ETV
Program is to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and
more cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to achieve this goal by providing high-quality, peer-
reviewed data on technology performance to those involved in the design, distribution, permitting,
purchase, and use of environmental technologies.
ETV works in partnership with recognized standards and testing organizations, stakeholder groups
(consisting of buyers, vendor organizations, and permitters), and with the full participation of individual
technology developers. The program evaluates the performance of innovative technologies by developing
test plans that are responsive to the needs of stakeholders, conducting field or laboratory tests (as
appropriate), collecting and analyzing data, and preparing peer-reviewed reports. All evaluations are
conducted in accordance with rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure that data of known and
adequate quality are generated and that the results are defensible.
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ABSTRACT
Two Koch Membrane Systems HF-82-35-PMPW™ UF membrane cartridges were tested for removal of
viruses, bacteria, and protozoan cysts at NSF's Drinking Water Treatment Systems Laboratory. The
testing was conducted as part of a series of ETV verifications of the US Navy Office of Naval Research's
Expeditionary Unit Water Purifier (EUWP), manufactured by Village Marine Tec. The tests reported
herein served to demonstrate the performance of the Koch Membranes Targa®-10-48-35-PMC UF
membrane cartridge used in the EUWP. The Targa-10-48-35-PMC is a larger version of the HF-82-35-
PMPW; both cartridges are made with the same UF membrane fibers. For this verification, the HF-82-
35-PMPW was operated at a target flux of 40 gallons per day per square foot (gfd), which is the operating
flux of the Targa-10-48-35-PMC in the EUWP. This verification did not address long-term performance,
membrane cleaning, or full-scale field maintenance and operation issues. These items will be addressed
in the verification reports for the full EUWP.
The UF cartridges were challenged with approximately 5 logio of the bacteriophage viruses fr and MS2, 7
to 8 logio of the bacteria Brevundimonas diminuta, and 5.7 logio of live Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts.
The bacteria and viruses used in this study served as surrogates for pathogenic bacteria and viruses that
may be introduced into drinking water through accidental or intentional contamination. Each challenge
was 30 minutes in length. The membranes removed a minimum of 4.8 logio of the viruses, 6.0 logio of B.
diminuta, and 5.7 logio of C. parvum.
TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION
The following technology description was provided by the manufacturer and has not been verified.
The Koch HF-82-35-PMPW is 5" x 43" UF membrane cartridge. The membrane fibers are made of
polysulfone, with a nominal fiber inner diameter of 0.9 millimeters. The nominal membrane surface area
for the cartridge, using the fiber inner diameter, is 82 square feet. The nominal molecular weight cutoff
rating for the membrane is 100,000 Daltons.
This verification was conducted as part of a series of ETV verifications of the US Navy Office of Naval
Research's EUWP, manufactured by Village Marine Tec. The tests served to demonstrate the
performance of the Koch Membrane Systems Targa-10-48-35-PMC UF membrane cartridge used in the
EUWP. The Targa-10-48-35-PMC is a larger version of the HF-82-35-PMPW; both cartridges are made
with the same UF fibers.
VERIFICATION TESTING DESCRIPTION
Test Site
The testing site was the Drinking Water Treatment Systems Laboratory at NSF in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A description of the test apparatus can be found in the test/quality assurance (QA) plan and verification
report. The testing was conducted in February and March of 2006.
Methods and Procedures
The testing methods and procedures are detailed in the Test/QA Plan for the Microbial Seeding Challenge
Study of the Koch Membrane Systems HF-82-35-PMPW UF Membrane. Two membrane cartridges were
challenged with the bacteriophage viruses fr and MS2, the bacteria B. diminuta, and live C. parvum
oocysts. The challenge bacteria and viruses were chosen because they are smaller than most other viruses
and bacteria, and so provide a conservative estimate of performance. NSF also used a genetically
engineered strain of B. diminuta. The NSF Microbiology Laboratory inserted into a culture of B.
diminuta strain 19146 a gene conferring resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin (KanR5. diminuta). This
allowed the Microbiology Laboratory to use a growth media amended with 50 micrograms per liter
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(jjg/L) of kanamycin to prohibit heterotrophic plate count (HPC) bacteria in the treated water samples
from growing along with the kanamycin resistant B. diminuta.
The target challenge concentrations for each organism were as follows:
• MS2 and fir: > IxlO4 plaque forming units per milliliter (PFU/mL);
• B. diminuta: > IxlO6 colony forming units per 100 milliliters (CFU/100 mL); and
• C. parvum: > IxlO5 oocysts per liter.
Prior to each challenge, an air bubble leak-check test procedure provided by Koch Membranes was
conducted. Approximately five pounds per square inch, gauge (psig) of air was applied to the filtrate side
of the membrane cartridge for five minutes, with the inlet port closed, but the reject port open. The
degree to which air bubbles rose from the membrane fibers indicated whether any fibers were
compromised. A steady stream of air bubbles would be indicative of a leak in a fiber.
The Targa-10-48-35-PMC membrane in the EUWP is operated at a flux of 40 gfd, with a reject flow rate
of 10% of the feed flow. To approximate these operation conditions, the target feed flow rate for the HF-
82-35-PMPW was 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm), and the target filtrate flow rate was 2.3 gpm.
The membranes were challenged with each organism for 30 minutes. Separate challenges were
conducted for each organism. Feed and filtrate samples were collected for challenge organism
enumeration at start-up, after 15 minutes of operation, and after 30 minutes of operation. All samples
were analyzed in triplicate.
VERIFICATION OF PERFORMANCE
The results of the microbial challenges are presented below in Table VS-1. The measured triplicate feed
and filtrate counts were averaged by calculating geometric means. The mean organism counts for each
sample point were then averaged to give an overall mean count for the challenge. These counts were
log 10 transformed, and log reductions were calculated for each challenge.
Table VS-1. Mean Challenge Organism Reduction Data
Challenge
Feed
Geometric Mean
(PFU/mL) Log10
Cartridge 2 Filtrate
Cartridge 1 Filtrate
Geometric Mean Logio Geometric Mean
(PFU/mL) Log10 Reduction (PFU/mL) Log10 Reduction
fr
MS2
6.7xl04
6.7xl04
4.8
4.9
1 0.0
1 0.0
4.8
4.9
1 0.0
1 0.0
4.8
4.9
Geometric Mean
Geometric Mean
Geometric Mean
Challenge
B. diminuta
KanRB. diminuta
KanRB. diminuta
retest for Unit 2
(CFU/lOOmL) Log10 (CFU/lOOmL) Log10 Reduction (CFU/lOOmL) Log10 Reduction
8.2xl07
5.4xl07
1.2xl07
7.9
7.7
7.1
7.9
7.7
1
52
2
0.0 7.9
1.7 6.0
0.3 6.8
Geometric Mean
Challenge (oocysts/L) Log10
Geometric Mean Logio Geometric Mean
(oocysts/L) Log10 Reduction (oocysts/L) Log10 Reduction
C. parvum
5.3xl05
5.7
<1
5.7
<1
5.7
Note that the KanR5. diminuta challenge was conducted twice on Cartridge 2. This was due to the
relatively high effluent counts measured during the first KanR B. diminuta challenge compared to the
cartridge's performance in the other challenges. To check for any membrane integrity issue that could
have caused the high effluent counts, the membranes were subjected to an air pressure decay test as
NSF 06/24/EPADWCTR
The accompanying notice is an integral part of this verification statement. September 2006
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described mASTMD6908-03, Standard Practice for Integrity Testing of Water Filtration Membrane
Systems. The data is presented below in Table VS-2. The pressure decay rate for Cartridge 1 was
measured to be 0.11 pounds per square inch, gauge, per minute (psig/min). The measured pressure decay
rates for Cartridge 2 were 0.14 and 0.29 psig/min. Koch Membrane Systems provided an estimated
severed fiber pressure decay rate of 2.1 psig/min for the HF-82-35-PMPW membrane, so the measured
decay rates for Cartridge 2 are not indicative of a breach in membrane integrity. Also, the air bubble
leak-check tests did not indicate that any membrane fibers were compromised during testing.
QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL (QA/QC)
NSF provided technical and quality assurance oversight of the verification testing as described in the
verification report, including a review of 100% of the data. NSF QA personnel also conducted a technical
systems audit during testing to ensure the testing was in compliance with the test plan. A complete
description of the QA/QC procedures is provided in the verification report.
Original signed by Sally Gutierrez 09/22/06 Original signed by Robert Ferguson 09/07/06
Sally Gutierrez Date Robert Ferguson Date
Director Vice President
National Risk Management Research Water Systems
Laboratory NSF International
Office of Research and Development
United States Environmental Protection
Agency
NOTICE: Verifications are based on an evaluation of technology performance under specific,
predetermined criteria and the appropriate quality assurance procedures. EPA and NSF make no
expressed or implied warranties as to the performance of the technology and do not certify that a
technology will always operate as verified. The end-user is solely responsible for complying with
any and all applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Mention of corporate names, trade
names, or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use of
specific products. This report is not an NSF Certification of the specific product mentioned
herein.
Availability of Supporting Documents
Copies of the test protocol, the verification statement, and the verification report (NSF
report # NSF 06/24/EPADWCTR) are available from the following sources:
1. ETV Drinking Water Systems Center Manager (order hard copy)
NSF International
P.O. Box 130140
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48113-0140
2. Electronic PDF copy
NSF web site: http://www.nsf.org/info/etv
EPA web site: http://www.epa.gov/etv
NSF 06/24/EPADWCTR The accompanying notice is an integral part of this verification statement. September 2006
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