Effects of powdered activated carbon dosage on the performance of membrane bioreactors treating biochemical tail water

Abstract

As a promising treatment technology for wastewater, the promotion of membrane bioreactors (MBR) is restricted by biological fouling. Among the measures used to mitigate membrane fouling, the addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) to MBRs has been recognized as an effective practice. However, the effects of PAC dosage on the performance of MBRs that treat highly biochemical influent from wastewater treatment plants remain unclear. In this study, by investigating the treatment of biochemical tailwater by PAC–MBRs, we thoroughly analyzed the effects of PAC dosage on the contamination removal efficiency, membrane operation cycles, sludge mixture properties, and microorganism distributions. The results indicated that the addition of PAC enhanced the removal efficiency of MBRs depending on the contaminant of interest. For example, the removal efficiency of total nitrogen can be boosted from 30 % to 60 % with PAC addition, while the removal efficiencies of total phosphorus were comparable with or without PAC addition. Furthermore, the application of PAC in MBRs can prolong the duration of membranes by suppressing biological fouling. This was supported by the decreased microbial products, reduced smaller solid particles, and stronger stability of sludge particles. PAC addition also boosts the proportion of Proteus and decreases the proportion of Bacteroides, which helps to improve the removal efficiencies of contaminants. Finally, among the PAC dosages tested in our study, 1.5 g/L PAC was proposed as the optimal candidate for treating highly biochemical influents. For example, the corresponding time for transmembrane pressure to reach 0.03 MPa was 19 d at 1.5 g/L PAC, while these periods were 7 and 14 d at dosages of 0 and 0.5 g/L, respectively. Overall, the findings of this study will aid in the selection of optimal dosages for other systems with different types of influents.