Effect of membranes on refractory dissolved organic nitrogen

Water Environ Res. 2010 Mar;82(3):281-8. doi: 10.2175/106143009x12487095236757.

Abstract

A 500-day comparative study with a novel membrane bioreactor (NMBR), anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A2/O) process, and University of Cape Town-adapted MBR (UMBR) investigated the effect of membrane on effluent dissolved organic nitrogen (efDON) using synthetic (SWW) and municipal wastewater (MWW). The runs, comparing an NMBR and A2/O process, indicated 0.3 mg/L lower efDON in the former than the latter. However, NMBR and UMBR achieved similar efDON quality, with an average of 0.8 mg/L, and the DON reduction by membrane averaged 0.4 mg/L, while the A2/O efDON was slightly higher than DON in the aeration tank, by 0.08 mg/L, on average. The efDON during the MWW run increased by as much as 0.8 mg/L compared with the SWW run. The efDON is a component of a protein found in soluble microbial products, and it followed a cyclical temporal pattern during the runs. Membrane fouling propensity increased the efDON. This study presents evidence that membranes are effective in reducing efDON.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Anaerobiosis
  • Biomass
  • Bioreactors*
  • Nitrogen / isolation & purification*
  • Organic Chemicals / isolation & purification*
  • Waste Management / methods*

Substances

  • Organic Chemicals
  • Nitrogen