thin-film composite polyamide NF membranes are usually synthesized by the interfacial

polymerization of aromatic amine with acyl chloride [38,40]. This reaction results in
amphoteric surface characteristics of polyamide membranes originating from surface
functional groups such as carboxyl and amine [28,29]. Additives used in the
manufacturing process may also contribute to membrane surface charge. Recently,
Childress and Elimelech [28] have investi- gated electrokinetic properties of RO and
NF membranes at various solution chemistries. Their study revealed tha the NF
membrane used in our investiga- tion becomes less negatively charged with decreasing
pH. They also reported the isoelectric point of this membrane to be around pH 3;
that is, below pH 3, the membrane is positively charged, while above pH 3, the
membrane is negatively charged.

The average molecular weight of the three model humic acids increases as AHA >
PHA > SHA. Gel permeation chromatography performed by Grasso et al. [35]
showed that AHA consists mainly of two fractions: one with a size larger than 67
000 Da and the second with a size smaller than 20 000 Da