Algal‐based Membrane Bioreactor for Wastewater Treatment

The cultivation of microalgae within membrane photo-bioreactors for use in treating industrial effluents and wastewaters is now well studied and understood based upon the results of published results from laboratory-scale experiments. An established and mature technology available for waste management, providing sustainability and pollution control in the drinking and wastewater sectors, involves the utilization of membrane bioreactors. Currently, algae-based membrane bioreactor systems are attracting significant research attention. This is because they offer the potential advantage of combining activated sludge processing with membrane filtration. Compared to the conventional microalgae processes applied in wastewater treatments, membrane-based systems are able to cost-effectively meet demands for algae cultivation, harvesting, dewatering and processing. Microfiltration or ultrafiltration membranes are utilized in algal membrane photobioreactors to provide a closed algal cultivation process. Although algae-based membrane reactors have advantages over conventional water treatment processes, the main problem impeding wider use of this effective technology is membrane fouling.