Recent advances and trends of carbon-based biocarriers for performance enhancement of anaerobic membrane bioreactor system

Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) have emerged as a compelling avenue for wastewater treatment, uniting anaerobic digestion and membrane separation technologies. Their appeal stems from distinctive merits, encompassing pollutant degradation, energy generation, and the attainment of high-quality effluent. This positions them with great promise in the wastewater treatment domain. Nonetheless, challenges persist, primarily relating to membrane fouling and suboptimal methane production. To counteract these limitations, incorporating carbon-based materials into AnMBRs as biofilm carriers has gained substantial traction. Powdered activated carbon (PAC), granular activated carbon (GAC), and biochar have been widely adopted to bolster AnMBR performance. This study presents a comprehensive overview of AnMBRs augmented with carbon-based carriers to enhance performance. The focus is ameliorating membrane fouling, removing micropollutants, and optimizing methane production. The underlying mechanisms driving the improved performance due to the integration of carbon-based carriers are also summarized. Drawing from current research trajectories, the paper elucidates prospects. Notably, integrating novel carbon-based pages into AnMBRs is a pivotal avenue to propel the enhancement of AnMBR performance.