title: Use of flocculants for increasing permeate flux in anaerobic membrane bioreactors.
abstract: Biomass retention, required for high rate anaerobic wastewater treatment, can be accomplished coupling an anaerobic bioreactor with membrane filtration. However, low flux seems to be a common factor when operating anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs). Modification of biomass properties may represent a strategy for improving membrane flux. The addition of flocculants was tested as a tool for flux increase. Six different products were tested in dead-end filtration experiments. Based on the results, two products were selected for cross-flow tests. The one presenting better performance (Nalco MPE50) was tested in a laboratory-scale continuous AnMBR. Results show that the flocculant was able to substantially increase flux. Indeed, the flux-increasing effect was observed for several weeks after flocculant addition. Therefore, the use of flocculants seems to be an interesting tool to cope with temporary increases in required flux.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile and Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile E-mail: david.jeison@ufrontera.cl.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile and Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile E-mail: david.jeison@ufrontera.cl.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Azócar
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile and Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile E-mail: david.jeison@ufrontera.cl.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: NALCO Europe B.V., Ir. G. Tjalmaweg 1, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S I C
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile and Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile E-mail: david.jeison@ufrontera.cl.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jeison
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D019149:Bioreactors; D005427:Flocculation; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical