Performance evaluation and bacterial characterization of membrane bioreactors

A bench-scale conventional membrane bioreactor (C-MBR), a moving bed membrane bioreactor (MB-MBR) and an anoxic/oxic membrane bioreactor (A/O-MBR), operating under similar feed, environmental and operating conditions, were each evaluated for their treatment performance and bacterial diversity. MBRs were compared for the removal of organics (COD) and nutrients (N and P) while pure culture techniques were employed for bacterial isolation and an API 20E kit was used to identify the isolates. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, selected as a representative of denitrifying microorganisms, was isolated only from the A/O-MBR using Citrimide Agar. Using PCR, the nitrifying bacteria Nitrosomonas europaea was detected only in the MB-MBR. On the other hand, Nitrobacter winogradskyi was detected in all three reactors. Addition of media and maintenance of a lesser DO resulted in the highest TN removal in the A/O-MBR as compared to the C-MBR and the MB-MBR, whereas better nitrification was observed in the MB-MBR than in the C-MBR.

► Anoxic/oxic MBR performed better in terms of nutrient removal than MB-MBR and C-MBR.
► Growth of Pseudomonas species was supported in the MBRs irrespective of DO.
► Addition of media along with higher DO can increase growth of Nitrosomonas europaea.