title: Pilot scale experiment with MBR operated in intermittent aeration condition: analysis of biological performance.
abstract: The effect of intermittent aeration (IA) on a MBR system was investigated. The study was aimed at analyzing different working conditions and the influence of different IA cycles on the biological performance of the MBR pilot plant, in terms of organic carbon and ammonium removal as well as extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) production. The membrane modules were placed in a separate compartment, continuously aerated. This configuration allowed to disconnect from the filtration stage the biological phenomena occurring into the IA bioreactor. The observed results highlighted good efficiencies, in terms of organic carbon and ammonium removal. It was noticed a significant soluble microbial products (SMPs) release, likely related to the higher metabolic stress that anoxic conditions exerted on the biomass. However, the proposed configuration, with the membranes in a separate compartment, allowed to reduce the EPSs in the membrane tank even during the non-aerated phase, thus lowering fouling development.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, Aerospaziale, dei Materiali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: marco.capodici@unipa.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capodici
authors.affiliation: Facoltà di Ingegneria e Architettura - Università degli Studi di Enna "Kore", Cittadella universitaria, 94100 Enna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Bella
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, Aerospaziale, dei Materiali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Trapani
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, Aerospaziale, dei Materiali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torregrossa
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000032:analysis; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002244:Carbon / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058440:Denitrification; D058465:Nitrification; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014835:Volatilization; D062065:Wastewater
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Activated sludge; Biological treatment; Intermittent aeration; MBR systems