Comparison of Two Treatments for the Removal of Organic Micro-Pollutants: Conventional Activated Sludge (CAS) Followed by Ultrafiltration (UF) vs. Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)

E. Sahar, M. Ernst, M. Godehardt, A. Hein, J. Herr, C. Kazner, T. Melin, H. Cikurel, A. Aharoni, R. Messalem, A. Brenner, M. Jekel

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The potential of MBR systems to remove organic micro-pollutants was investigated at different scales, operational conditions, and locations. MBR effluent quality was compared with that of a conventional activated sludge (CAS) plant, followed by ultrafiltration (UF), operated and tested in parallel. A MBR pilot plant in Israel was operated for over a year at an MLSS range of 2.8-10.6 g/L. The MBR achieved removal rates comparable to those of a CASUF plant at the Tel-Aviv WWTP for macrolide antibiotics such as roxythromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin and slightly higher removal rates than the CAS-UF for sulfonamides. A laboratory scale MBR unit in Berlin - at an MLSS of 6-9 g/L - showed better removal rates for macrolide antibiotics, trimethoprim and 5-tolyltriazole compared to the CAS process of the Berlin WWTP Ruhleben at identical raw wastewater quality. Sulfamethoxazole and 4-tolyltriazole were removed slightly better in the CAS while the benzotriazole removal was more significant. In pilot MBR tests at an MLSS of 12 g/L in Aachen, Germany, operating flux significantly affected the resulting membrane fouling rate, but the removal rate of dissolved organic matter and of bisphenol-A was not affected.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAdvanced Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
Subtitle of host publicationA Road to Safer Society and Environment
EditorsPetr Hlavinek, Igor Winkler, Jiri Marsalek, Ivana Mahrikova
Pages147-161
Number of pages15
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2011

Publication series

NameNATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security
Volume106
ISSN (Print)1874-6519

Keywords

  • antibiotics
  • membrane bioreactor
  • municipal wastewater
  • organic micro-pollutants
  • ultrafiltration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Science (all)

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