Fouling Development in A/O-MBR under Low Organic Loading Condition and Identification of Key Bacteria for Biofilm Formations

Membrane fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBR) remains a major issue and knowledge of microbes associated with biofilm formation might facilitate the control of this phenomenon, Thus, an anoxic/oxic membrane bioreactor (A/O-MBR) was operated under an extremely low organic loading rate (0.002 kg-COD.m(-3).day(-1)) to induce membrane fouling and the major biofilm-forming bacteria were identified. After operation under extremely low organic loading condition, the reactor showed accumulation of total nitrogen and phosphorus along with biofilm development on the membrane surface. Thus, membrane fouling induced by microbial cell lysis was considered to have occurred. Although no major changes were observed in the microbial community structure of the activated sludge in the MBR before and after membrane fouling, uncultured bacteria were specifically increased in the biofilm. Therefore, bacteria belonging to candidate phyla including TM6, OD1 and Gammaproteobacteria could be important biofilm-forming bacteria.