Application of a membrane bioreactor for treating explosives process wastewater

A bench-scale anoxic membrane bioreactor (MBR) system, consisting of a bioreactor coupled to a ceramic cross-flow ultrafiltration module, was evaluated to treat a synthetic wastewater containing alkaline hydrolysis byproducts (hydrolysates) of RDX. The wastewater was formulated the same as hydrolysis wastewater and consisted of acetate, formate and formaldehyde as carbon sources and nitrite and nitrate electron acceptors. The MBR system removed 80-90% of the carbon sources. and approximately 90% of the stoichiometric amount of nitrate, 60% of nitrite. The reactor was also operated over a range of transmembrane pressure. temperature, suspended solids concentration, and organic loading rate to maximize treatment efficiency and permeate flux. Increasing the transmembrane pressure and temperature did not improve flux significantly. Increasing mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) concentration in the bioreactor decreased the permeate flux significantly. The maximum volumetric organic loading rate was 0.72 kg COD/m(3)/day. The maximum food-to-mass ratio was 0.50 kg N/kg MLVSS/day and 1.82 kg COD/kg MLVSS/day. Membrane permeate was clear and essentially free of bacteria, as indicated by heterotrophic plate count. Permeate flux ranged between 0.15 and 2.0 m(3)/m(2) day and was maintained by routine backwashing every three days. Backwashing with tap water containing chlorine bleach every fourth or fifth backwashing was able to restore membrane flux to its original value. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.