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Fouling mitigation by cationic polymer addition into a pilot‐scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor fed with blackwater

Journal Article (2020)
Author(s)

Magela Odriozola (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)

Nicolás Morales (Aqualia)

Jose R. Vazquez-Padin (Aqualia)

Maria Lousada-Ferreira (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)

Henri Spanjers (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)

Jules B. van Lier (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)

Research Group
Sanitary Engineering
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12102383 Final published version
More Info
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Publication Year
2020
Language
English
Research Group
Sanitary Engineering
Journal title
Polymers
Issue number
10
Volume number
12
Article number
2383
Pages (from-to)
1-19
Downloads counter
257
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Institutional Repository
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Abstract

Cationic polymers have proven to be suitable flux enhancers (FEs) in large‐scale aerobic membrane bioreactors (MBRs), whereas in anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) research is scarce, and so far, only done at lab‐scale. Results from MBRs cannot be directly translated to AnMBRs because the extent and nature of membrane fouling under anaerobic and aerobic conditions are different. Our research focused on the long‐term effect of dosing the cationic polymer Adifloc KD451 to a pilot AnMBR, fed with source‐separated domestic blackwater. A single dosage of Adifloc KD451 at 50 mg L−1 significantly enhanced the filtration performance in the AnMBR, revealed by a decrease in both fouling rate and total filtration resistance. Nevertheless, FE addition had an immediate negative effect on the specific methanogenic activity (SMA), but this was a reversible process that had no adverse effect on permeate quality or chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in the AnMBR. Moreover, the FE had a long‐term positive effect on AnMBR filtration performance and sludge filterability. These findings indicate that dosing Adifloc KD451 is a suitable strategy for fouling mitigation in AnMBRs because it led to a long‐term improvement in filtration performance, while having no significant adverse effects on permeate quality or COD removal.