Effects of salinity build-up on the performance of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor regarding basic water quality parameters and removal of trace organic contaminants.
The effects of elevated inorganic salt concentration on anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treatment regarding basic biological performance and trace organic contaminant (TrOC) removal were investigated. A set of 33 TrOCs were selected to represent pharmaceuticals, steroids, and pesticides in municipal wastewater. Results show potential adverse effects of increase in the bioreactor salinity to 15g/L (as NaCl) on the performance of AnMBR with respect to chemical oxygen demand removal, biogas production, and the removal of most hydrophilic TrOCs. Furthermore, a decrease in biomass production was observed as salinity in the bioreactor increased. The removal of most hydrophobic TrOCs was high and was not significantly affected by salinity build-up in the bioreactor. The accumulation of a few persistent TrOCs in the sludge phase was observed, but such accumulation did not vary significantly as salinity in the bioreactor increased.
Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
Xiaoye
X
Song
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia.
James
J
McDonald
Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Chemistry, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
William E
WE
Price
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia.
Stuart J
SJ
Khan
Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
Faisal I
FI
Hai
Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
Hao H
HH
Ngo
Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
Wenshan
W
Guo
Strategic Water Infrastructure Laboratory, School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. Electronic address: longn@uow.edu.au.
Long D
LD
Nghiem
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D056804:Biofuels; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D054712:Salinity; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D060753:Water Quality
D056804:Biofuels; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR); Biogas production; Salinity build-up; Trace organic contaminants (TrOCs); Wastewater treatment