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Improving the performance of an aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) treating pharmaceutical wastewater with powdered activated carbon (PAC) addition

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Abstract

In this study, the effects of organic loading rate (OLR) and the addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) on the performance and membrane fouling of MBR were conducted to treat real pharmaceutical process wastewater. Over 145 days of operation, the MBR system was operated at OLRs ranging from 1 to 2 kg COD m−3 day−1 without sludge wasting. The addition of PAC provided an improvement in the flux, despite an increase in the OLR:PAC ratio. The results demonstrated that the hybrid PAC-MBR system maintained a reduced amount of membrane fouling and steadily increased the removal performance of etodolac. PAC addition reduced the deposition of extracellular polymeric substance and organic matter on the membrane surface and resulted an increase in COD removal even at higher OLRs with low PAC addition. Membrane fouling mechanisms were investigated using combined adsorption fouling models. Modified fouling index values and normalized mass transfer coefficient values indicated that predominant fouling mechanism was cake adsorption.

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Abbreviations

a :

Flux model constant (s2 m−2)

A:

The membrane filtration area (m2)

AFM:

Atomic force microscope

ATR:

Attenuated total reflection

b :

Flux model constant (s m−2)

BSA:

Bovine serum albumin

COD:

Chemical oxygen demand (mg L−1)

DO:

Dissolved oxygen (mg L−1)

EPS:

Extracellular polymeric substance

FT–IR:

Fourier transform infrared

HRT:

Hydraulic retention time (h)

J :

Permeate flux (L m−2 h−1)

J 0 :

Initial permeate flux (L m−2 h−1)

K a :

Mass transfer coefficient for adsorptive fouling (h−1)

Kb :

Mass transfer coefficient for complete pore blocking (h−1)

K b/K a :

The normalized mass transfer coefficient for complete pore-adsorption fouling

K c :

Mass transfer coefficient for cake fouling (h m−2)

K c*J 2o /K a :

The normalized mass transfer coefficient for cake-adsorption fouling

K i :

Mass transfer coefficient for intermediate fouling (m−1)

K i*J o/K a :

The normalized mass transfer coefficient for intermediate-adsorption fouling

MBR:

Membrane bioreactor

MLSS:

Mixed liquor suspended solid (mg L−1)

mV:

Millivolt

MLVSS:

Mixed liquor volatile suspended solid (mg L−1)

OLR:

Organic loading rate (kg COD m−3 day−1)

p :

Number of points within a given membrane surface area

PAC:

Powdered activated carbon

PhAC:

Pharmaceutical active compound

PES:

Polyethersulfone

r 2 :

Correlation coefficient

R a :

The mean roughness on membrane surface (nm)

R rms :

The root mean square of average height of membrane surface peaks (nm)

R z :

The mean difference between five highest peaks and lowest valleys (nm)

RMSE:

Root mean squared error

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

SMP:

Soluble microbial product

SRT:

Sludge retention time (d)

t:

Filtration time (min)

V:

Total volume of permeate (m3)

z av :

The average of the z values within a given membrane surface area (nm)

z cu :

The current z value (nm)

a:

Mean roughness

av:

Average

c:

Carbohydrate

c:

Clean membrane

cu:

Current

d:

Day

h:

Hour

p :

Protein

z :

Height

µ :

Dynamic viscosity of the solution (mPas)

α :

Specific cake resistance (m kg−1)

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Research Fund of the Istanbul University (Project Number 4239).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Istanbul University, Avcilar Campus, Avcilar, Istanbul, 34320, Turkey

    Yasemin Kaya, A. Murat Bacaksiz, Ugur Golebatmaz, Ilda Vergili, Z. Beril Gönder & Gulsum Yilmaz

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  1. Yasemin Kaya
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  2. A. Murat Bacaksiz
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Correspondence to Yasemin Kaya.

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Kaya, Y., Bacaksiz, A.M., Golebatmaz, U. et al. Improving the performance of an aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) treating pharmaceutical wastewater with powdered activated carbon (PAC) addition. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 39, 661–676 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-016-1547-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-016-1547-3

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