A Study on an Advanced Membrane Bioreactor (AMBR) with Magnetic Filter

• Published in: Journal of Water and Environment Technology Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 24 - 35
• Main Authors: Ling, Yangfan, Ogawa, Masaharu, Iwasawa, Naoki, Shen, Tong, Komori, Masahito, Inagaki, Yoshihiko, Sakakibara, Yutaka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Japan Society on Water Environment 2025; 公益社団法人 日本水環境学会; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Activated sludge; Activated sludge process; advanced membrane bioreactor; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial resistance; Bio-Fenton; Bioreactors; Charged particles; Composition; Effectiveness; Electron microscopy; Energy costs; Fouling; magnetic filter; Magnetite; Membrane filtration; membrane fouling; Membrane processes; Membranes; Microfiltration; Scanning electron microscopy; Sludge; Wastewater
• ISSN: 1348-2165
• DOI: 10.2965/jwet.24-072

Improper treatment of antibiotics in wastewater has led to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. One of the solutions to this global problem is the Bio-Fenton reaction, which is effective in removing antibiotics. To stimulate Bio-Fenton reaction, magnetite fine particles are employed in the advanced activated sludge process. While combining the activated sludge process with membrane filtration can be more efficient, membrane bioreactors (MBRs) require frequent cleaning to prevent membrane fouling, inducing chemical and energy costs. To address this issue, a magnetic filter to capture activated sludge flocs with the magnetic particles was equipped near the MF (microfiltration) membrane surface to mitigate membrane fouling. The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the magnetic filter in a lab-scale advanced Bio-Fenton MBR system. Transmembrane pressure (TMP) was measured as an indicator of the fouling extent, and the effect of the magnetic filter was evaluated by examining TMP change, supported by SEM (Scanning electron microscopy) analysis of foulant composition. Results showed lower TMPs and less Fe composition in the foulants with magnetic filter across various conditions. From the results, we concluded that the magnetic filter was effective for alleviating membrane fouling in the advanced Bio-Fenton MBR system.