Tennessee Wastewater Operator Practice Exam

What is the term for the liquid that passes through a membrane filter?

1. Concentrate

2. Filtrate

3. Effluent

4. Permeate

The correct answer is: Permeate

The term used to describe the liquid that passes through a membrane filter is permeate. This term is specifically related to membrane filtration processes, where a physical barrier is used to separate particles from a liquid. During this process, the liquid that successfully moves through the filter is known as permeate, while the remaining substances or solids that do not pass through are referred to as the concentrate. Understanding this concept is essential in various applications such as wastewater treatment, water purification, and industrial separation processes where membrane technology is implemented. The permeate represents the clarified liquid that has undergone the filtering action and typically exhibits lower levels of contaminants compared to the original feed solution.