Achieving Optimal Conditions of Membrane Bioreactors for Dairy Industry Wastewater Treatment

Document Type : Regular Article

Authors

1 Department of Chemical Engineering, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran

2 CFD Research Division, Advanced Chemical Engineering Research Center, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

3 Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract
The optimization of membrane bioreactor (MBR) equipped with a submerged flat-sheet polyethersulfone (PES) membrane for the wastewater treatment from dairy processing facilities was investigated. The effects of key parameters such as the hydraulic retention time (HRT, from 8 to 16 hr), mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS, 3000 to 9000
mg/L), and rate of aeration (Qair: 1 and 2 L/min) on COD removal efficiency were systematically investigated. Through the response surface method (RSM), the maximum the COD removal efficiency of 92.67% was obtained under the optimal conditions of HRT: 13.83 hr, MLSS: 7239.84 mg/L, and Qair: 1.75 L/min. The statistical analysis identified MLSS as the most influential factor in the COD removal efficiency, accounting for 30% of the variation, followed by HRT with
16%, and the rate of aeration showing the least impact of 8%. A notable reduction in the UV absorbance of wastewater between 200 and 500 nm, after treatment using MBR under optimal conditions, signified successful targeting of toxic or colored pollutants. Finally, a mechanism for the wastewater treatment in MBRs, which included the biological degradation, adsorption on the surface of biomass and membrane, and separation through membrane filtration, was proposed.

Keywords

Subjects


[1] Shrivastava, V., Ali, I., Marjub, M.M., Rene, E.R., Florencia Soto, A.M. (2022). Wastewater in the food industry: Treatment technologies and reuse potential, Chemosphere, 293, 133553. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133553.
[2] Krzemińska, D., Neczaj, E., Borowski, G. (2015). Advanced oxidation processes for food industrial wastewater decontamination, Journal of Ecological Engineering, 16, 61-71. doi: 10.12911/22998993/1858.  
[3] Nayyar, D., Nawaz, T., Noore, S., Singh, A.P. (2021). Food processing wastewater treatment: current practices and future challenges, Pollution Control Technologies. pp. 177-208. Springer, Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-16-0858-2_9.
[4] Asgharnejad, H., Khorshidi Nazloo, E., Madani Larijani, M., Hajinajaf, N., & Rashidi, H. (2021). Comprehensive review of water management and wastewater treatment in food processing industries in the framework of water‐food‐environment nexus. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 20(5), 4779–4815. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12782.
[5] Heponiemi, A., & Lassi, U. (2012). Advanced oxidation processes in food industry wastewater treatment – A Review. Food Industrial Processes - Methods and Equipment. 17, 313-338. doi:10.5772/33341.
[6] Vaiano, V., Iervolino, G., Rizzo, L., Sannino, D. (2017). Advanced oxidation processes for the removal of food dyes in wastewater, Current Organic Chemistry, 21, 1068-1073. doi: 10.2174/1385272821666170102163307.
[7] Cecconet, D., Molognoni, D., Callegari, A., & Capodaglio, A. G. (2018). Agro-food industry wastewater treatment with microbial fuel cells: Energetic recovery issues. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 43(1), 500–511. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.07.231.
[8] Muhamad Ng, S.N., Idrus, S., Ahsan, A., Tuan Mohd Marzuki, T.N., Mahat, S.B. (2021). Treatment of wastewater from a food and beverage industry using conventional wastewater treatment integrated with membrane bioreactor system: A pilot-scale case study. Membranes, 11, 456. doi: 10.3390/membranes11060456.
[9] Zhang, N., Wu, C., Zhang, J., Han, S., Peng, Y., Song, X. (2023). Impacts of lipids on the performance of anaerobic membrane bioreactors for food wastewater treatment, Journal of Membrane Science, 666, 121104. doi: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121104.
[10] Vinardell, S., Astals, S., Koch, K., Mata-Alvarez, J., & Dosta, J. (2021). Co-digestion of sewage sludge and food waste in a wastewater treatment plant based on mainstream anaerobic membrane bioreactor technology: A techno-economic evaluation. Bioresource Technology, 330, 124978. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.124978.
[11] Cho, K., Jeong, Y., Seo, K. W., Lee, S., Smith, A. L., Shin, S. G., Cho, S. K., Park, C. (2018). Effects of changes in temperature on treatment performance and energy recovery at mainstream anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor for food waste recycling wastewater treatment. Bioresource Technology, 256, 137–144. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2018.02.015.
[12] Tang, Y., Sasaki, K., Ihara, M., Sugita, D., Yamashita, N., Takeuchi, H., Tanaka, H. (2024). Evaluation of virus removal in membrane bioreactor and conventional activated sludge processes based on long-term monitoring at two wastewater treatment plants, Water Research, 253, 121197. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121197.
[13] Lin, H., Zheng, Y., Yang, Y., Liu, F., Yang, K., Zhang, B., Wen, X. (2023). The role of the core microorganisms in the microbial interactions in activated sludge, Environmental Research, 235, 116660. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116660.
[14] Prasertkulsak, S., Chiemchaisri, C., Chiemchaisri, W., & Yamamoto, K. (2019). Removals of pharmaceutical compounds at different sludge particle size fractions in membrane bioreactors operated under different solid retention times. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 368, 124–132. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.01.050.
[15] Al-Asheh, S., Bagheri, M., & Aidan, A. (2021). Membrane bioreactor for wastewater treatment: A review. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 4, 100109. doi:10.1016/j.cscee.2021.100109.
[16] Yue, X., Koh, Y. K. K., & Ng, H. Y. (2015). Effects of dissolved organic matters (DOMs) on membrane fouling in anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactors (AnCMBRs) treating domestic wastewater. Water Research, 86, 96–107. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2015.07.038.
[17] Zhen, G., Pan, Y., Lu, X., Li, Y.-Y., Zhang, Z., Niu, C., Kumar, G., Kobayashi, T., Zhao, Y., Xu, K. (2019). Anaerobic membrane bioreactor towards biowaste biorefinery and chemical energy harvest: Recent progress, membrane fouling and future perspectives. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 115, 109392. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2019.109392. 
[18] Wang, Z., Chen, Y., Sun, X., Duddu, R., Lin, S. (2018). Mechanism of pore wetting in membrane distillation with alcohol vs. surfactant, Journal of Membrane Science, 559, 183–195. doi:/10.1016/j.memsci.2018.04.045.
[19] Chang, I.-S., & Judd, S. J. (2002). Air sparging of a submerged MBR for municipal wastewater treatment. Process Biochemistry, 37(8), 915–920. doi:10.1016/s0032-9592(01)00291-6.
[20] Abdulla1, H., Zamorano, M., Rodríguez, M. L., Shahawy, A. E., Hosny, S., Martín‑Pascual, J., El‑Shatoury, S. (2023). An overview of agro‑food industry wastewater treatment: a bibliometric analysis and literature review, Applied Water Science, 13, 1-24. doi:10.1007/s13201-022-01857-3.
[21] Greenberg, A.E., Clesceri, L.S., Eaton, A.D. (1992). Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater, Washington.
[22] Ahmadi, M., Amiri, N., Pirsaheb, M., & Amiri, P. (2015). Application of the central composite design for the treatment of soft drink factory wastewater in two-stage aerobic sequencing batch reactors combined with ozonation. Desalination and Water Treatment, 57(41), 19077–19086. doi:10.1080/19443994.2015.1103305.
[23] Fallah, N., Bonakdarpour, B., Nasernejad, B., & Alavi Moghadam, M. R. (2010). Long-term operation of submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) for the treatment of synthetic wastewater containing styrene as volatile organic compound (VOC): Effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 178(1-3), 718–724. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.02.001.
[24] Shariati, S. R. P., Bonakdarpour, B., Zare, N., & Ashtiani, F. Z. (2011). The effect of hydraulic retention time on the performance and fouling characteristics of membrane sequencing batch reactors used for the treatment of synthetic petroleum refinery wastewater. Bioresource Technology, 102(17), 7692–7699. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2011.05.065.
[25] Jeong, E., Kim, H.-W., Nam, J.-Y., Ahn, Y.-T., & Shin, H.-S. (2010). Effects of the hydraulic retention time on the fouling characteristics of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor for treating acidifi ed wastewater. Desalination and Water Treatment, 18(1-3), 251–256. doi:10.5004/dwt.2010.1781.
[26] Bottino, A., Capannelli, G., Comite, A., & Mangano, R. (2009). Critical flux in submerged membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment. Desalination, 245(1-3), 748–753. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2009.02.047.
[27] Wu, J., & Huang, X. (2009). Effect of mixed liquor properties on fouling propensity in membrane bioreactors. Journal of Membrane Science, 342(1-2), 88–96. doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2009.06.024.
[28] Rosenberger, S., Laabs, C., Lesjean, B., Gnirss, R., Amy, G., Jekel, M., & Schrotter, J.-C. (2006). Impact of colloidal and soluble organic material on membrane performance in membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment. Water Research, 40(4), 710–720. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2005.11.028.
[29] Le-Clech, P., Jefferson, B., & Judd, S. (2003). Impact of aeration, solids concentration and membrane characteristics on the hydraulic performance of a membrane bioreactor. Journal of Membrane Science, 218(1-2), 117–129. doi:10.1016/s0376-7388(03)00164-9.
[30] Brookes, A., Jefferson, B., Guglielmi, G., & Judd, S. J. (2006). Sustainable flux fouling in a membrane bioreactor: Impact of flux and MLSS. Separation Science and Technology, 41(7), 1279–1291. doi:10.1080/01496390600634509.
[31] JI, L., & ZHOU, J. (2006). Influence of aeration on microbial polymers and membrane fouling in submerged membrane bioreactors. Journal of Membrane Science, 276(1-2), 168–177. doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2005.09.045.
[32] Yigit, N. O., Harman, I., Civelekoglu, G., Koseoglu, H., Cicek, N., & Kitis, M. (2008). Membrane fouling in a pilot-scale submerged membrane bioreactor operated under various conditions. Desalination, 231(1-3), 124–132. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2007.11.041.
[33] Nywening, J.-P., & Zhou, H. (2009). Influence of filtration conditions on membrane fouling and scouring aeration effectiveness in submerged membrane bioreactors to treat municipal wastewater. Water Research, 43(14), 3548–3558. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2009.04.050.
[34] Chua, H. C., Arnot, T. C., & Howell, J. A. (2002). Controlling fouling in membrane bioreactors operated with a variable throughput. Desalination, 149(1-3), 225–229. doi:10.1016/s0011-9164(02)00764-6.
[35] Borbón, B., Oropeza-Guzman, M. T., Brillas, E., & Sirés, I. (2014). Sequential electrochemical treatment of dairy wastewater using aluminum and DSA-type anodes. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 21(14), 8573–8584. doi:10.1007/s11356-014-2787-x.