title: Effect of the Shape and Size of Quorum-Quenching Media on Biofouling Control in Membrane Bioreactors for Wastewater Treatment.
abstract: Recently, spherical beads entrapping quorum quenching (QQ) bacteria have been reported as effective moving QQ-media for biofouling control in MBRs for wastewater treatment owing to their combined effects of biological (i.e., quorum quenching) and physical washing. Taking into account both the mass transfer of signal molecules through the QQ-medium and collision efficiencies of the QQ-medium against the filtration membranes in a bioreactor, a cylindrical medium (QQ-cylinder) was developed as a new shape of moving QQ-medium. The QQ-cylinders were compared with previous QQ-beads in terms of the QQ activity and the physical washing effect under identical loading volumes of each medium in batch tests. It was found that the QQ activity of a QQ-medium was highly dependent on its specific surface area, regardless of the shape of the medium. In contrast, the physical washing effect of a QQ-medium was greatly affected by its geometric structure. The enhanced anti-biofouling property of the QQ-cylinders relative to QQ-beads was confirmed in a continuous laboratory-scale MBR with a flat-sheet membrane module.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seonki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kibaek
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeokpil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nahm
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chung-Hak
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Pyung-Kyu
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicinal Science and Biotechnology, Paichai University, Daejeon 35345, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Kee
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Singapore Membrane Technology Center, Nanyang Technological University, 637141, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hyun-Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D057219:Biofouling / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019149:Bioreactors; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D062065:Wastewater / Q000382:microbiology*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Membrane bioreactor; bead; cylinder; quorum quenching; quorum sensing