In-depth insights into the temporal-based fouling mechanism and its exploration in anaerobic membrane bioreactors: A review. (15th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Tongyu; Jin, Zhengyu; Yang, Yadong; Ma, Junyi; Aghbashlo, Mortaza; Zhang, Heqing; Sun, Shihao; Tabatabaei, Meisam; Pan, Junting
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 375(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-11-15
• Subjects: Anaerobic membrane bioreactor -- Membrane fouling -- Fouling mechanism -- Temporal development -- Interaction forces; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134110
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: The anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) has been deemed a sustainable technology in simultaneous wastewater resource recovery and reclaimed water production. Membrane fouling is one of the most challenging issues in AnMBRs remaining to be addressed. Rather than emphasizing operational design and performance, a summarization of the existing understandings of temporal-based fouling mechanism in AnMBRs is proposed to render guidance in principle. The fouling development can be chronologically divided into three main stages: pore narrowing, pore-clogging, and gel/cake layer formation. Medium-sized soluble microbial products (SMP), soluble extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and/or small-sized colloids dominate the pore narrowing stage through strong surface interaction of the inner pore walls. Macro-molecular SMP, cell debris, and colloidal EPS mainly lead to complete pore-clogging by membrane-foulant hydrophobic interaction in terms of sieving effect on the membrane and intermediate pore-clogging by intermolecular adhesion forces and hydrodynamic bridging on the first single foulant layer. The gel layer forming stage is mainly attributed to sticky proteins and polysaccharides in EPS, macro-molecular SMP, metal ions, and microbial colloids through the foulant-foulant interaction. Moreover, the cake layer formation stage is mainly ascribed to flocs and solids deposition, microbial biomass, humic substances, inorganic precipitation, and intracellular polymeric foulants through strong solid-liquid adsorptive interaction and/or solid precipitation. Specifically, the electrostatic, hydrophobic, spatial, complexing, adsorptive, and compressive interactions between the membrane and/or foulants are qualitatively discussed in detail for different fouling stages. Finally, the chronological transformation process of the fouling layer and the role of biofouling in the late stage of fouling development in AnMBRs is analyzed. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: The temporal-based fouling development in AnMBRs is elaborated on in detail. Current research and explanation on fouling development are categorized. Microfluidic observation can be applied to clarify fouling inside membrane pores. Interaction forces between foulants and membranes are temporally discussed. Roles of soluble/colloidal/particulate organic/inorganic/biological foulants discussed.