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UNDERSTANDING BIOFOULING IN MEMBRANE BIOREACTORS TREATING SYNTHETIC PAPER WASTWATER

ZHANG, KAI
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1109079842

Abstract Details

2005, MS, University of Cincinnati, Engineering : Environmental Engineering.
The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the operating conditions of bioreactors influence the structure of the microbial community leading to differences in irreversible membrane biofouling. A traditional membrane bioreactor (MBR) system was divided into two experimental unites. Unit One, the bioreactor component, was used to generate sludges with different properties by adopting different configurations and operating conditions. Unit Two, the membrane flow cell, was used to test biofouling by using the sludges from Unit One. Mixed liquor was removed from Unit One, and membrane biofouling was examined in a membrane flow cell (Unit Two) with microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes operated at tangential surface velocities of 0.1 m/s and 3.5 m/s. Amplified Ribosomal Deoxyribonucleic acid Restriction Analysis (ARDRA) and 16S rDNA sequence analyses were used to identify predominant bacterial populations within the mixed liquor and on the surface of biofouled microfiltration membranes operated at tangential surface velocities of 3.5 m/s. Community diversity and evenness were calculated to help describe the properties of the microbial community structure. The structure of the bacterial community in the four bioreactors was highly varied during the course of the experiment. The bioreactors with PFR configuration tend to demonstrate a lesser degree of irreversible biofouling. This trend would need to be verified by further membrane filtration analysis. The bioreactors employing membrane filtration to achieve solids separation demonstrated a greater degree of irreversible biofouling as compared to the systems operated with gravity sedimentation, suggesting that the lack of selective pressure by sedimentation in integrated membrane bioreactor systems may produce an increased tendency for biofouling. The predominant bacterial populations identified in the mixed liquor were significantly different as compared to the predominant bacterial populations identified on the surface of biofouled microfiltration membranes suggesting that the presence of certain bacterial populations may produce an increased tendency for biofouling. The results of this study supported our hypothesis and further suggested that future designs for membrane bioreactor systems should consider the relationships among microbial ecology and irreversible biofouling with regard to bioreactor operating conditions.
Dr. Daniel Oerther (Advisor)
97 p.
Engineering, Environmental
ARDRA; Biofouling; Membrane bioreactors; Microbial community; Phylogenetic analysis

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • ZHANG, K. (2005). UNDERSTANDING BIOFOULING IN MEMBRANE BIOREACTORS TREATING SYNTHETIC PAPER WASTWATER [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1109079842

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • ZHANG, KAI. UNDERSTANDING BIOFOULING IN MEMBRANE BIOREACTORS TREATING SYNTHETIC PAPER WASTWATER. 2005. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1109079842.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • ZHANG, KAI. "UNDERSTANDING BIOFOULING IN MEMBRANE BIOREACTORS TREATING SYNTHETIC PAPER WASTWATER." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1109079842

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1109079842
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© 2005, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.