Effect of powdered activated carbon on integrated submerged membrane bioreactor–nanofiltration process for wastewater reclamation

•Wastewater was treated by SMBR with PAC and NF integrated processes for reuse.•PAC was able to prevent TMP increase in SMBR.•The effluent of SMBR with PAC obtained better water qualities and performances.•The integrated processes improved flux and water qualities for wastewater reuse.•Mathematical model of SMBR with PAC and NF integrated processes is introduced.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of powdered activated carbon (PAC) on the overall performance of a submerged membrane bioreactor (SMBR) system integrated with nanofiltration (NF) for wastewater reclamation. It was found that the trans-membrane pressure of SMBR increased continuously while that of the SMBR with PAC was more stable, mainly because water could still pass through the PACs and membrane even though foulants adhered on the PAC surface. The presence of PAC was able to mitigate fouling in SMBR as well as in NF. SMBR–NF with PAC obtained a higher flux of 8.1 LMH compared to that without PAC (6.6 LMH). In addition, better permeate quality was obtained with SMBR–NF integrated process added with PAC. The present results suggest that the addition of PAC in integrated SMBR–NF process could possibly lead to satisfying water quality and can be operated for a long-term duration.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide