9 - Anaerobic membrane bioreactors for antibiotic wastewater treatment

Abstract

Currently, antibiotic wastewater is generating serious concerns worldwide due to the toxic effects of antibiotics and putting antibiotic resistance at risk. Anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) is a promising technology for treating antibiotic wastewater due to its ability to withstand high organic loading, produce less sludge, and lower operating costs when compared with conventional activated sludge processes. This chapter discusses the following: (1) sources and potential risks of antibiotics in wastewater; (2) the performance of AnMBRs for treating antibiotic wastewater; (3) the impact of operating parameters on antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs); (4) the effect of antibiotics on the performance and membrane fouling of the AnMBR system; and (5) the novel AnMBR configurations that can improve the treatment phase and overcome technological limitations. Results show that the efficiency in removing antibiotics and ARGs ranged from 34.6% to 100% in the AnMBR system, as a consequence of the combined contribution of microbial degradation, adsorption of anaerobic sludge, and retention and adsorption of the cake layer that was formed on the membrane surface. The AnMBR system’s ability to treat antibiotic wastewater may be improved by adjusting its operating parameters. Antibiotics in wastewater can affect the microorganisms in AnMBRs and accelerate membrane fouling. The anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactor (AFMBR) and anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor (AnEMBR) are promising novel AnMBR configurations that can first improve the removal efficiency of antibiotics and then slow down the development of membrane fouling layers, but more research is required on the feasibility of AFMBR and AnEMBR for antibiotic wastewater treatment.