Change in the fouling propensity of sludge in membrane bioreactors (MBR) in relation to the accumulation of biopolymer clusters |
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Authors: | Sun Fei-yun Wang Xiao-mao Li Xiao-yan |
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Affiliation: | a Environmental Engineering Research Centre, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China b Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China |
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Abstract: | A membrane bioreactor (MBR) and an activated sludge process (ASP) were operated side by side to evaluate the change of sludge supernatant characteristics and the evolution of the sludge fouling propensity. The MBR sludge had a higher organic concentration and more biopolymer clusters (BPC) in the supernatant compared with ASP. BPC increased in both concentration and size in the MBR. The results show that the change in the liquid-phase property had a profound effect on the sludge fouling propensity. MBR operation transformed typical activated sludge to MBR sludge with a higher fouling propensity. Distinct from the ASP, membrane filtration retained soluble microbial products (SMP) within the MBR, and the vast membrane surface provided a unique environment for the transformation of SMP to large size BPC, leading to further sludge deposition on the membrane surface. Thus, membrane filtration is the crucial cause of the inevitable fouling problem in submerged MBRs. |
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Keywords: | Activated sludge process Biopolymer clusters (BPC) Membrane fouling Membrane bioreactor (MBR) Biological wastewater treatment |
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