title: The effect of hydraulic retention time on the performance and fouling characteristics of membrane sequencing batch reactors used for the treatment of synthetic petroleum refinery wastewater.
abstract: The use of membrane sequencing batch reactors, operated at HRT of 8, 16 and 24h, was considered for the treatment of a synthetic petroleum wastewater. Increase in HRT resulted in statistically significant decrease in MLSS. Removal efficiencies higher than 97% were found for the three model hydrocarbon pollutants at all HRTs, with air stripping making a small contribution to overall removal. Particle size distribution (PSD) and microscopic analysis showed reduction in the protozoan populations in the activated sludge with decreasing HRT. PSD analysis also showed a higher proportion of larger and smaller sized particles at the lowest HRT. The rate of membrane fouling was found to increase with decreasing HRT; SMP, especially carbohydrate SMP, and mixed liquor apparent viscosity also showed a pronounced increase with decreasing HRT, whereas the concentration of EPS and its components decreased. FTIR analysis identified organic compounds as the main component of membrane pore fouling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 15875, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Ramin Pajoum
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Shariati
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonakdarpour
authors.forename: Nasim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zare
authors.forename: Farzin Zokaee
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Ashtiani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002617:Chemical Industry; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010316:Particle Size; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical