Anaerobic membrane bioreactors—a mini review with emphasis on industrial wastewater treatment: applications, limitations and perspectives

Abstract

Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) are increasingly being used in industrial wastewater treatment as the technology represents a cost-effective alternative to that based on aerobic processes. Not only AnMBRs are highly efficient in reducing chemical oxygen demand but the organic matter removed is transformed into a useful energy source-biogas. AnMBRs produce effluent that is free of solids and pathogens and rich in nutrients, while occupying a small footprint. As the membrane retains biomass, AnMBRs enhance performance when dealing with inhibitory or toxic substrates, typical of industrial wastewaters. Some drawbacks remain, however, including membrane fouling and its associated effects as well as poor efficiency at lower temperature (AnMBRs are usually operated at mesophilic or thermophilic conditions). Further research is needed on lowering hydraulic retention time, removal of nutrients, removal of specific micro-pollutants, establishing quantitative mass and energy/economic balances and inclusion of efficient dissolved methane recovery. In this mini review, the applications, limitations and perspectives of AnMBRs are summarized and evaluated with an emphasis on industrial wastewater treatment. Moreover, the AnMBR is compared with other wastewater treatment technologies presently available.

Treatment of Palm Oil Mill Effluent Using Membrane Bioreactor: Novel Processes and Their Major Drawbacks

“…Studies have shown that at elevated TMP and flux, the membrane could easily polarize and the tendency for bio-flocs disintegration is high. This habitually resulted in excessive operational energy requirements [118][119][120]. The findings of the previous studies on MBR configurations are summarized in Table 2.…”

Genome-Centered Metagenomics Analysis Reveals the Microbial Interactions of a Syntrophic Consortium during Methane Generation in a Decentralized Wastewater Treatment System

“…PSDs stabilize sludge to control odors while also reducing pathogens [3]. In addition to PSDs, AnMBRs have been widely incorporated into the anaerobic biological wastewater treatment process because of their solid-liquid separation and high effluent quality [4]. Due to their high operation stability, AnMBRs are suitable for treating wastewater with a high content of COD and suspended solids, high salinity, and large variations of flow and composition, even in the presence of fat, oil, and grease or inhibitory compounds [5,6].…”

Experimental research into the process of biological treatment of wastewater with the use of the membrane bio­reactor

“…As it can be seen from comparison of the data in Tables 4 and 6, as well as in Fig. 5, only introduction of the reagent allowed achieving the necessary degree of purification from phosphates (98.6 % in series of experiments [10][11][12]. Termination of reagent dosing has resulted in an increase in phosphate content in a purified sewer in excess of the established standard for discharge (Table 4, series of experiments [17][18][19].…”

“…The authors of work [10] proposed the technology of application of the anaerobic membrane bioreactor. This technology proved to be very effective in reducing the chemical oxygen demand (COD), in this case, the removed organic substance turns into a useful energy source -biogas.…”