Efficient performance and the microbial community changes of submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor in treatment of sewage containing cellulose suspended solid at 25°C.

Abstract Influence of cellulose as suspended solid (SS) on the performance of submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAnMBR) was evaluated at 25 °C using two types of synthetic sewage (SS contained or not). During the 110 days operation, COD and BOD removal, CH 4 gas recovery and cellulose accumulation were investigated in detail. The influence of cellulose as SS in sewage on the SAnMBR performance was not significant at HRT longer than12 h and 65–72% of the influent COD was recovered as methane gas at HRT of 12 h. At HRT of 6 h, the quality of effluent got worse and the accumulation of cellulose was found in reactor. 16S rRNA analysis revealed that the microbial diversity distribution including Archaea and Bacteria changed due to the addition of SS in sewage and specific microbe for cellulose degradation such as Proteobacteria was detected. Sludge in SAnMBR could acclimate to characteristics of sewage by self-adaptation.