The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of a novel electrospun polyurethane nanofibre material for water-treatment purposes. Bacterial removal efficiency was tested in the laboratory by filtering artificial water spiked with Escherichia coli through a 0.25 µm nanofibre membrane. The results were compared with those obtained using a commercial microfiltration material (MV020T) with a similar pore size (0.20 µm). Alongside the laboratory experiments, we also determined filtration efficiency with semi-pilot scale experiments using actual wastewater from the secondary sedimentation tank of a wastewater treatment plant. The laboratory experiments indicated very high log10 removal efficiency, ranging from 5.8 to 6.8 CFU (colony-forming units)/ml. These results were better than those of the commercial membrane (3.8-4.6 CFU/ml). The semi-pilot scale experiment confirmed the membrane's suitability for microbial filtration, with both E. coli and total culturable microorganisms (cultured at both 22 and 36 °C) showing a significant decline compared to the non-filtered control (wastewater from the secondary outlet).

ASIO s r o Kšírova 552 45 619 00 Brno Czech Republic E mail

ASIO s r o Kšírova 552 45 619 00 Brno Czech Republic E mail Department of Experimental Phycology and Ecotoxicology Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Lidická 25 27 602 00 Brno Czech Republic

ASIO s r o Kšírova 552 45 619 00 Brno Czech Republic E mail Mendel University in Brno Faculty of Agronomy Zemědělská 1 1665 613 00 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Experimental Phycology and Ecotoxicology Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Lidická 25 27 602 00 Brno Czech Republic

Mendel University in Brno Faculty of Agronomy Zemědělská 1 1665 613 00 Brno Czech Republic

SPUR a s třída Tomáše Bati 299 Louky 763 02 Zlín Czech Republic

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Resazurin assay for assessment of antimicrobial properties of electrospun nanofiber filtration membranes