Do biological-based strategies hold promise to biofouling control in MBRs?

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 47; no. 15; pp. 5447 - 5463
• Main Authors: Malaeb, Lilian, Le-Clech, Pierre, Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S., Ayoub, George M., Saikaly, Pascal E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anti-biofouling; Applied sciences; biochemical compounds; Biofilm; biofouling; Biofouling - prevention & control; Biological-based; bioreactors; Bioreactors - microbiology; cleaning; control methods; Exact sciences and technology; Holistic control; Management; Membrane bioreactors; Membrane performance; Membranes, Artificial; Microbial community; microorganisms; Pollution; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Water treatment and pollution; Holistic control; AHL; DNP; EPS; 2D-PAGE; PAOs; UF; Membrane bioreactors; ARDRA; DOC; MF; Membrane performance; EPBR; MLSS; CLSM; PFU; ED; QQ; QS; MALDI-TOF; MS; AIP; NSM; TOC; EEM; EU; STXM; SMP; Biofilm; NF; SEM; RO; DGGE; NO; F/M; AFM; CCCP; SRT; FTIR; COD; SIMS; MBR; Microbial community; T-RFLP; Anti-biofouling; Management; CS; NMR; FISH; Biological-based; ATP; TEM; Fouling; Cleaning; Biological purification; Membrane reactor; Bioreactor; Biofouling; Control method; Performance; enhanced biological phosphorous removal; fluorescent in situ hybridization; extracellular polymers; ultrafiltration; confocal laser scanning microscopy; quorum quenching; secondary-ion mass spectrometry; transmission electron microscopy; Fourier transform infrared; energy uncoupling; 3,3′,4′,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide; scanning electron microscopy; nitric oxide; quorum sensing; autoinducer peptide; denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis; reverse osmosis; natural small molecules; atomic force microscopy; sludge retention time; scanning transmission X-ray microscopy; membrane bioreactor; 2,4-dinitrophenol; polyphosphate accumulating organisms; chemical oxygen demand; microfiltration; excitation emission matrix; acyl-homoserine lactone; food to microorganisms ratio; mass spectrometry; terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism; total organic carbon; carbonyl cyanide chlorophenylhydrazone; soluble microbial products; matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization -time of flight; amplified ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid restriction analysis; nuclear magnetic resonance; nanofiltration; two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; adenosine triphosphate; plaque forming units; enzymatic disruption; mixed liquor suspended solids; dissolved organic carbon
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2013.06.033

Biofouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) remains a primary challenge for their wider application, despite the growing acceptance of MBRs worldwide. Research studies on membrane fouling are extensive in the literature, with more than 200 publications on MBR fouling in the last 3 years; yet, improvements in practice on biofouling control and management have been remarkably slow. Commonly applied cleaning methods are only partially effective and membrane replacement often becomes frequent. The reason for the slow advancement in successful control of biofouling is largely attributed to the complex interactions of involved biological compounds and the lack of representative-for-practice experimental approaches to evaluate potential effective control strategies. Biofouling is driven by microorganisms and their associated extra-cellular polymeric substances (EPS) and microbial products. Microorganisms and their products convene together to form matrices that are commonly treated as a black box in conventional control approaches. Biological-based antifouling strategies seem to be a promising constituent of an effective integrated control approach since they target the essence of biofouling problems. However, biological-based strategies are in their developmental phase and several questions should be addressed to set a roadmap for translating existing and new information into sustainable and effective control techniques. This paper investigates membrane biofouling in MBRs from the microbiological perspective to evaluate the potential of biological-based strategies in offering viable control alternatives. Limitations of available control methods highlight the importance of an integrated anti-fouling approach including biological strategies. Successful development of these strategies requires detailed characterization of microorganisms and EPS through the proper selection of analytical tools and assembly of results. Existing microbiological/EPS studies reveal a number of implications as well as knowledge gaps, warranting future targeted research. Systematic and representative microbiological studies, complementary utilization of molecular and biofilm characterization tools, standardized experimental methods and validation of successful biological-based antifouling strategies for MBR applications are needed. Specifically, in addition, linking these studies to relevant operational conditions in MBRs is an essential step to ultimately develop a better understanding and more effective and directed control strategy for biofouling.
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•Biological-based antifouling strategies are promising but success stories are limited.•Currently applied control methods are partially effective and not integrated.•Linking microorganisms/EPS characterization, control studies and operation is needed.•This combined approach guides developing integrated and targeted control strategies.•Proper selection and standardization of analytical tools is an important ingredient.