Performance of a MBR pilot plant treating high strength wastewater subject to salinity increase: Analysis of biomass activity and fouling behaviour

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 147; pp. 614 - 618
• Main Authors: Di Bella, Gaetano, Di Trapani, Daniele, Torregrossa, Michele, Viviani, Gaspare
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Biomass activity; chemistry; Effluents; Exact sciences and technology; Fouling; fresh produce; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; High strength; MBR; Membrane fouling; Membranes; Pilot plants; Pilot Projects; Pollution; Salinity; Waste water; Waste Water - chemistry; wastewater; Wastewater treatment; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; Biomass activity; MBR; Membrane fouling; Wastewater treatment; Salinity; Pilot plant; Fouling; Membrane; Biomass; Waste water purification; Waste water
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.08.025

•We examined a MBR pilot plant under high strength and saline wastewater.•Significant influence of salinity increase on nitrifying activity.•Membrane fouling mainly due to irreversible cake deposition.•Changes of biomass characteristics affected filtration properties. Membrane bioreactors produce high quality effluents that could be suitable for reuse. However, when treating high strength wastewater subject to a salinity increase, a modification of biomass characteristics may occur. This circumstance is of importance, since it can have a significant impact in terms of biokinetic as well as fouling behaviour. The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of a pilot plant MBR, in terms of biomass activity and membrane fouling, fed with high strength synthetic wastewater, when subject to a salinity increase. With normal salinity, the pilot plant showed high removal efficiencies and high biomass respiratory activity. On the other hand, the salinity increase significantly affected the removal efficiency as well as the SMP production. Furthermore, the salinity increase showed a strong effect on biomass activity, reducing in particular the respiration rates of autotrophic populations.