Effect of anionic surfactant inhibition on sewage treatment by a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor: Efficiency, sludge activity and methane recovery

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Vol. 315; pp. 83 - 91
• Main Authors: Nie, Yulun, Kato, Hiroyuki, Sugo, Toshiki, Hojo, Toshimasa, Tian, Xike, Li, Yu-You
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Influence mechanism; LAS; SAnMBR; Sewage; SDS; SMA; CMP; EPS; HRT; AFBR; SS/VSS; VFA; EGSB; Sewage; SAnMBR; OLR; TMP; BOD; SMP; COD; UASB; Performance; Influence mechanism; LAS
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2017.01.022

[Display omitted] •LAS caused a lower sewage treatment efficiency but a higher membrane fouling rate.•Biogas production rate decreased by 26%: 2.11L/d with LAS vs. 2.55L/d in control.•LAS was removed by adsorption rather than degradation with an efficiency of 30–70%.•LAS adsorption had a more negative effect on methanogen than acidification microbe.•SAnMBR is not suitable to treat LAS containing sewage with higher concentration. The effect of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), a typical anionic surfactant, on the sewage treatment by a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAnMBR) was investigated by a 243days operation. The changes of treatment efficiency, methane recovery and sludge activity due to the presence of LAS in sewage was studied in detail. Compared with control (96.8% and 2.87L/d), lower COD removal (95.2%) and biogas production rate (2.11L/d) were found at a LAS dosage of 5mg/L. Besides, LAS was removed by adsorption rather than degradation on the sludge (30–70%). Its adsorption can lead to significant loads in sewage sludge, which then decrease the methane production activity. The recovery efficiency of potential bioenergy was decreased by 20% and 26% at LAS of 2.5mg/L and 5.0mg/L, respectively. The results indicated that LAS had a more negative effect on the acetoclastic methanogens than acidogenic microbiota and the LAS inhibition to methanogen activity was responsible for the decrease of SAnMBR performance. Moreover, LAS caused a higher membrane fouling rate than the control experiment due to the microbial self-protection behavior in coping with the LAS in sewage. SAnMBR was hence not suitable to dispose LAS containing sewage with higher concentration.