Impact of Anodic Respiration on Biopolymer Production and Consequent Membrane Fouling.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have recently been integrated with membrane bioreactors (MBRs) for wastewater treatment and energy recovery. However, the impact of integration of the two reactors on membrane fouling of MBR has not been reported yet. In this study, MFCs equipped with different external resistances (1-10 000 ohm) were operated, and membrane-fouling potentials of the MFC anode effluents were directly measured to study the impact of anodic respiration by exoelectrogens on membrane fouling. It was found that although the COD removal efficiency was comparable, the fouling potential was significantly reduced due to less production of biopolymer (a major foulant) in MFCs equipped with lower external resistance (i.e., with higher current generation) as compared with aerobic respiration. Furthermore, it was confirmed that Geobacter sulfurreducens strain PCA, a dominant exoelectrogen in anode biofilms of MFCs in this study, produced less biopolymer under anodic respiration condition than fumarate (anaerobic) respiration condition, resulting in lower membrane-fouling potential. Taken together, anodic respiration can mitigate membrane fouling of MBR due to lower biopolymer production, suggesting that development of an electrode-assisted MBR (e-MBR) without aeration is feasible.