Effect of prolonged sludge retention times on the performance of membrane bioreactor and microbial community for leachate treatment under restricted aeration.

Leachate treatment is challenging owing to the complex composition of pollutants. This study investigated the treatment performance of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and the microbial community structure corresponding to the effect of prolonged sludge retention times (SRTs) under restricted aeration. In the present study, a pilot-scale MBR was designed to treat leachate after being pretreated with an anaerobic filter for continuous operation for 240 days.

Toxic organic micro-pollutants removal mechanisms in long-term operated membrane bioreactor treating municipal solid waste leachate.

The performance of two-stage membrane bioreactor (MBR) in term of toxic organic micro-pollutants removal was continuously monitored for 300 days under long sludge age condition. The phenolic compounds and phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in landfill leachate and treated water from MBR unit were quantified by solid phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Priority pollutants in landfill leachate were phenolics and their degradation products i.