Development of Electroactive Biofiltration Dynamic Membrane for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment and Fouling Mitigation: Unraveling the Growth Equilibrium Mechanisms of Fouling Layer

We developed a strategy involving an electroactive biofiltration dynamic membrane (EBDM) for wastewater treatment and membrane fouling mitigation. This approach utilizes a cathode potential within an anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor to establish a growth equilibrium electroactive fouling layer....

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Main Authors: Chengxin Niu, Wei Shi, Zhouyan Li, Zhiwei Qiu, Yun Guo, Zhiwei Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809925000979
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author Chengxin Niu
Wei Shi
Zhouyan Li
Zhiwei Qiu
Yun Guo
Zhiwei Wang
author_facet Chengxin Niu
Wei Shi
Zhouyan Li
Zhiwei Qiu
Yun Guo
Zhiwei Wang
author_sort Chengxin Niu
collection DOAJ
description We developed a strategy involving an electroactive biofiltration dynamic membrane (EBDM) for wastewater treatment and membrane fouling mitigation. This approach utilizes a cathode potential within an anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor to establish a growth equilibrium electroactive fouling layer. Over a 240 day operation period, the EBDM exhibited outstanding performance, characterized by an ultralow fouling rate (transmembrane pressure < 2.5 kPa), superior effluent quality (chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal > 93% and turbidity ∼2 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)), and a 7.2% increase in methane (CH4) productivity. Morphological analysis revealed that the EBDM acted as a biofilter consisting of a structured, interconnected, multilevel dynamic membrane system with orderly clogging. In the EBDM system, the balanced-growth fouling layers presented fewer biofoulants and looser secondary protein structures. Furthermore, the applied electric field modified the physicochemical properties of the biomass, leading to a decrease in fouling potential. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring analysis indicated that growth equilibrium promoted a looser fouling layer with a lower adsorption mass than did the denser, viscoelastic fouling layer observed in the control reactor. Metagenomic sequencing further demonstrated that continuous electrical stimulation encouraged the development of an electroactive fouling layer with enhanced microbial metabolic functionality on the EBDM. This approach selectively modifies metabolic pathways and increases the degradation of foulants. The EBDM strategy successfully established an ordered-clogging, step-filtered, and balanced-growth electroactive fouling layer, achieving a synergistic effect in reducing membrane fouling, enhancing effluent quality, and improving CH4 productivity.
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spelling doaj-art-6f1ce3f1173f44e2a3ccbca0f18d5b662025-07-30T04:17:40ZengElsevierEngineering2095-80992025-07-01506071Development of Electroactive Biofiltration Dynamic Membrane for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment and Fouling Mitigation: Unraveling the Growth Equilibrium Mechanisms of Fouling LayerChengxin Niu0Wei Shi1Zhouyan Li2Zhiwei Qiu3Yun Guo4Zhiwei Wang5State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaCorresponding author.; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaWe developed a strategy involving an electroactive biofiltration dynamic membrane (EBDM) for wastewater treatment and membrane fouling mitigation. This approach utilizes a cathode potential within an anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor to establish a growth equilibrium electroactive fouling layer. Over a 240 day operation period, the EBDM exhibited outstanding performance, characterized by an ultralow fouling rate (transmembrane pressure < 2.5 kPa), superior effluent quality (chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal > 93% and turbidity ∼2 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)), and a 7.2% increase in methane (CH4) productivity. Morphological analysis revealed that the EBDM acted as a biofilter consisting of a structured, interconnected, multilevel dynamic membrane system with orderly clogging. In the EBDM system, the balanced-growth fouling layers presented fewer biofoulants and looser secondary protein structures. Furthermore, the applied electric field modified the physicochemical properties of the biomass, leading to a decrease in fouling potential. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring analysis indicated that growth equilibrium promoted a looser fouling layer with a lower adsorption mass than did the denser, viscoelastic fouling layer observed in the control reactor. Metagenomic sequencing further demonstrated that continuous electrical stimulation encouraged the development of an electroactive fouling layer with enhanced microbial metabolic functionality on the EBDM. This approach selectively modifies metabolic pathways and increases the degradation of foulants. The EBDM strategy successfully established an ordered-clogging, step-filtered, and balanced-growth electroactive fouling layer, achieving a synergistic effect in reducing membrane fouling, enhancing effluent quality, and improving CH4 productivity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809925000979Wastewater treatmentElectroactive biofiltration dynamic membraneGrowth equilibriumBiomass propertiesMicrobial metabolism
spellingShingle Chengxin Niu
Wei Shi
Zhouyan Li
Zhiwei Qiu
Yun Guo
Zhiwei Wang
Development of Electroactive Biofiltration Dynamic Membrane for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment and Fouling Mitigation: Unraveling the Growth Equilibrium Mechanisms of Fouling Layer
Engineering
Wastewater treatment
Electroactive biofiltration dynamic membrane
Growth equilibrium
Biomass properties
Microbial metabolism
title Development of Electroactive Biofiltration Dynamic Membrane for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment and Fouling Mitigation: Unraveling the Growth Equilibrium Mechanisms of Fouling Layer
title_full Development of Electroactive Biofiltration Dynamic Membrane for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment and Fouling Mitigation: Unraveling the Growth Equilibrium Mechanisms of Fouling Layer
title_fullStr Development of Electroactive Biofiltration Dynamic Membrane for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment and Fouling Mitigation: Unraveling the Growth Equilibrium Mechanisms of Fouling Layer
title_full_unstemmed Development of Electroactive Biofiltration Dynamic Membrane for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment and Fouling Mitigation: Unraveling the Growth Equilibrium Mechanisms of Fouling Layer
title_short Development of Electroactive Biofiltration Dynamic Membrane for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment and Fouling Mitigation: Unraveling the Growth Equilibrium Mechanisms of Fouling Layer
title_sort development of electroactive biofiltration dynamic membrane for enhanced wastewater treatment and fouling mitigation unraveling the growth equilibrium mechanisms of fouling layer
topic Wastewater treatment
Electroactive biofiltration dynamic membrane
Growth equilibrium
Biomass properties
Microbial metabolism
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809925000979
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