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A Pilot‐Scale Diatomite Membrane Bioreactor for Slightly Polluted Surface Water Treatment
Author(s) -
Sun Wen,
Li Cuimei,
Dong Bingzhi,
Chu Huaqiang
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
clean – soil, air, water
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.444
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1863-0669
pISSN - 1863-0650
DOI - 10.1002/clen.201700117
Subject(s) - membrane bioreactor , turbidity , chemistry , membrane fouling , effluent , chemical oxygen demand , fouling , bioreactor , raw water , membrane , organic matter , filtration (mathematics) , surface water , environmental chemistry , pulp and paper industry , environmental engineering , environmental science , wastewater , organic chemistry , ecology , biochemistry , engineering , biology , statistics , mathematics
In the Huai River basin in China, seasonal pollution, especially excess ammonia nitrogen (NH 4 + ‐N), threatens the water quality. This study investigates the performance of a pilot‐scale diatomite membrane bioreactor (DE‐MBR) for treating slightly polluted surface water (Huai River). Removal efficiencies for the chemical oxygen demand (COD Mn ), NH 4 + ‐N, and turbidity, as well as the molecular weight (MW) of the raw water, mixed liquor and effluent, particle size of the bio‐diatomite, trans‐membrane pressure (TMP) of the system, and microscopic characteristics of the membrane, are monitored for 135 days. The results shows that (1) with the diatomite addition of 4 g L −1 , the DE‐MBR contributes to significant removals of COD Mn and NH 4 + ‐N; (2) the TMP increases at an average rate of 0.04 kPa/day during the running period; (3) the MW distributions and natural organic matter fraction demonstrates that a significant increase of biopolymers occurs in the mixed liquor; (4) the highest removal rate of the charged hydrophilic acids indicates that aromatic proteins are more likely to be removed by the DE‐MBR compared to humic‐like substances; and (5) microscopic observations shows that hydrophobic micromolecular organics are the main contributors leading to hydraulically irreversible membrane fouling.