Fouling evaluation in a MBR for dairy effluent treatment

• Published in: Desalination and water treatment Vol. 57; no. 26; pp. 11919 - 11930
• Main Authors: Hamdan de Andrade, Laura, Danielle de Souza Mendes, Flávia, Cerqueira, Naiara, Cawetierre Espindola, Jonathan, Cristina Santos Amaral, Míriam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Elsevier Inc 02-06-2016; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Bioreactors; Color; Critical flux; Dairy industry effluent; Dairy industry wastewaters; Effluent treatment; Effluents; EPS; Extracellular polymeric substances; Fluctuations; Flux; Fouling; Membrane bioreactor; Membrane processes; Membranes; Organic matter; Retention time; Sludge; Sludge retention time; Soluble microbial products; Wastewater treatment; Membrane bioreactor; Sludge retention time; Extracellular polymeric substances; Critical flux; Fouling; Dairy industry effluent; Soluble microbial products
• ISSN: 1944-3986; 1944-3994; 1944-3986
• DOI: 10.1080/19443994.2015.1046941

A submerged membrane bioreactor was used in the treatment of dairy wastewater, and three different sludge retention time (SRT) were evaluated. High removal efficiencies of organic matter, apparent color, and nutrients were observed for all the three conditions. However, the membrane fouling was considerably intense, and the concentration of soluble microbial products (SMP) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the critical flux of the system were analyzed for a better understanding of the reasons. Contrary to what other authors noticed, it was not possible to establish any relation between SMP concentration and fouling rate. In contrast, the EPS seem to have some influence on this phenomenon. The critical flux results justified the strong fouling observed, as almost all the measured values were below the established operational flux. The SRT of 60 d was selected as the best among the three evaluated because it resulted in lower EPS concentration and higher values of critical flux.