title: Effects of salinity build-up on biomass characteristics and trace organic chemical removal: implications on the development of high retention membrane bioreactors.
abstract: This study investigated the impact of salinity build-up on the performance of membrane bioreactor (MBR), specifically in terms of the removal and fate of trace organic chemicals (TrOCs), nutrient removal, and biomass characteristics. Stepwise increase of the influent salinity, simulating salinity build-up in high retention MBRs, adversely affected the metabolic activity in the bioreactor, thereby reducing organic and nutrient removal. The removal of hydrophilic TrOCs by MBR decreased due to salinity build-up. By contrast, with the exception of 17α-ethynylestradiol, the removal of all hydrophobic TrOCs was not affected at high salinity. Moreover, salinity build-up had negligible impact on the residual accumulation of TrOCs in the sludge phase except for a few hydrophilic compounds. Additionally, the response of the biomass to salinity stress also dramatically enhanced the release of both soluble microbial products (SMP) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), leading to severe membrane fouling.
authors.affiliation: Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Civil Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Wenhai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Civil Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Faisal I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Hai
authors.affiliation: Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Chemistry, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Jinguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Chemistry, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Wenshan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Hao H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Civil Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. Electronic address: longn@uow.edu.au.
authors.forename: Long D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Nghiem
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D057219:Biofouling; D018533:Biomass; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000032:analysis; D019149:Bioreactors; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D054712:Salinity; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Biomass characteristics; Membrane bioreactor (MBR); Salinity build-up; Trace organic chemicals (TrOCs); Wastewater treatment