Model-based assessment of chromate reduction and nitrate effect in a methane-based membrane biofilm reactor

Zhen Wang; Xue-Ming Chen; Bing-Jie Ni; You-Neng Tang; He-Ping Zhao

doi:10.1016/j.wroa.2019.100037

Model-based assessment of chromate reduction and nitrate effect in a methane-based membrane biofilm reactor

Water Res X. 2019 Oct 15:5:100037. doi: 10.1016/j.wroa.2019.100037. eCollection 2019 Dec 1.

Authors

Zhen Wang¹, Xue-Ming Chen², Bing-Jie Ni³, You-Neng Tang⁴, He-Ping Zhao¹

Affiliations

¹ MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
² Process and Systems Engineering Center (PROSYS), Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, 2800, Denmark.
³ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
⁴ FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA.

Abstract

Chromate contamination can pose a high risk to both the environment and public health. Previous studies have shown that CH₄-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) is a promising method for chromate removal. In this study, we developed a multispecies biofilm model to study chromate reduction and its interaction with nitrate reduction in a CH₄-based MBfR. The model-simulated results were consistent with the experimental data reported in the literature. The model showed that the presence of nitrate in the influent promoted the growth of heterotrophs, while suppressing methanotrophs and chromate reducers. Moreover, it indicated that a biofilm thickness of 150 μm and an influent dissolved oxygen concentration of 0.5 mg O₂/L could improve the reactor performance by increasing the chromate removal efficiency under the simulated conditions.

Keywords: Aerobic methane oxidation; Chromate reduction; Membrane biofilm reactor; Model analysis; Nitrate effect.