Effect of bioflocculation on fouling-related biofoulants in a membrane bioreactor during saline wastewater treatments

Songwen Tan; Chunzhi Cui; Xuncai Chen; Weiguo Li

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2016.10.066

Effect of bioflocculation on fouling-related biofoulants in a membrane bioreactor during saline wastewater treatments

Bioresour Technol. 2017 Jan:224:285-291. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.10.066. Epub 2016 Oct 25.

Authors

Songwen Tan¹, Chunzhi Cui², Xuncai Chen³, Weiguo Li⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai), Weihai 264209, China.
² Department of Chemistry, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China.
³ School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia.
⁴ Department of Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai), Weihai 264209, China. Electronic address: lwg123hit@gmail.com.

PMID: 27839681
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.10.066

Abstract

A membrane bioreactor (MBR) was operated in two modes; with and without the inoculation of marine Arthrobacter cells, to investigate the effect of bioflocculation on membrane biofouling during saline wastewater treatments. The MBR-Arthrobacter system showed a higher resistance to membrane fouling than the normal MBR system. Lower concentrations of the fouling-related components and higher removal efficiencies of COD and NH₃-N were observed in the MBR-Arthrobacter system. The bioflocculation of Arthrobacter preferred to settle down the humic acid-like, fulvic acid-like and aromatic proteins components (larger biomolecules) rather than the soluble microbial by-product-like components (smaller biomolecules).

Keywords: Bioflocculation; Extracellular polymeric substances; Membrane fouling; Saline wastewater treatment; Soluble microbial products.

MeSH terms

Biofouling*
Bioreactors
Flocculation
Membranes, Artificial*
Waste Management / methods*
Wastewater*

Substances

Membranes, Artificial
Waste Water