Bio-enhanced powder-activated carbon dynamic membrane reactor for municipal wastewater treatment

This research investigated the characteristics of bio-enhanced powder-activated carbon dynamic membrane (BPDM) reactor for municipal wastewater treatment in the laboratory-scale continuous-flow mode. The BPDM was amenable to continuous operation at high filtration fluxes in the range of 100–235 L/m2 h. Mean particle sizes of the BPDM increased from the top cake layer to the middle cake layer, with the largest mean particle sizes found in the bottom cake layer. The quantity of polysaccharides was greater than the quantity of proteins in the extracellular polymeric substances in the bio-enhanced powder-activated carbon mixed liquor, and the quantity of polysaccharides attached to the threads was much greater than the quantity of proteins attached to the threads of both the surface support mesh and the inner support mesh. The polysaccharides might be primarily responsible for the attachment of the BPDM to the stainless steel support mesh. Experimental results obtained via three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy analysis showed that the main protein-like substances fouling the BPDM and stainless steel mesh could be identified as simple aromatic proteins, soluble microbial by-product-like materials. The amino acids in a hydrolyzed sample from the BPDM were present in larger quantities than those in the influent or the bio-enhanced powder-activated carbon mixed liquor. The BPDM was found to effectively retain the proteins.

► BPDM reactor exhibited excellent pollutants removal efficiencies with high fluxes.
► PSD of BPDM increased from the top to bottom cake layer with hierarchy structure.
► PS was greater than PN in EPS, and mainly responsible for BPDM attached on mesh.
► The BPDM was found to effectively retain the proteins.
► Amino acids in the hydrolyzed sample of BPDM presented the largest quantity.