Journal Home Online First Current Issue Archive For Authors Journal Information 中文版

Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering >> 2011, Volume 5, Issue 4 doi: 10.1007/s11783-011-0362-y

Influence of aeration intensity on the performance of A/O-type sequencing batch MBR system treating azo dye wastewater

1. Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; 2. Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China

Available online: 2011-12-05

Next Previous

Abstract

Among the numerous parameters affecting the membrane bioreactor (MBR) performance, the aeration intensity is one of the most important factors. In the present investigation, an anoxic/aerobic-type (A/O-type) sequencing batch MBR system, added anoxic process as a pretreatment to improve the biodegradability of azo dye wastewater, was investigated under different aeration intensities and the impact of the aeration intensity on effluent quantity, sludge properties, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) amount generated as well as the change of permeation flux were examined. Neither lower nor higher aeration intensities could improve A/O-type sequencing batch MBR performances. The results showed 0.15 m ·h aeration intensity was promising for treatment of azo dye wastewater under the conditions examined. Under this aeration intensity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrogen and color removal as well as membrane flux amounted to 97.8%, 96.5%, 98.7% and 6.21 L·m ·h , respectively. The effluent quality, with 25.0 mg·L COD, 0.84 mg·L ammonium nitrogen and 8 chroma, could directly meet the reuse standard in China. In the meantime, the sludge relative hydrophobicity, the bound EPS, soluble EPS and EPS amounts contained in the membrane fouling layer were 70.3%, 52.0 mg·g VSS, 38.8 mg·g VSS and 90.8 mg·g VSS, respectively, which showed close relationships to both pollutant removals and membrane flux.

Related Research