Influence of Organic Loading Rates on the Treatment Performance of Membrane Bioreactors Treating Saline Industrial Wastewater

This study investigated the efficacy of membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology in treating saline industrial wastewater, focusing on the impact of the organic loading rate (OLR) and the food-to-microorganism (F/M) ratio on treatment performance. This research utilized saline industrial wastewater from Al-Hasa, which had salinity levels ranging from 5000 to 6900 mg/L. It explored treatment processes at varying Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) concentrations of 800, 1400, and 2000 mg/L, corresponding to an OLR of 0.80 ± 0.05, 1.41 ± 0.07, and 1.98 ± 0.12 g COD/L, respectively. The average F/M ratios used were 0.20, 0.36, and 0.50 g COD/g MLSS·d, maintaining a constant Sludge Residence Time (SRT) of 12 days, a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h (hrs.), and a flux of 10 L/m2·h. The MBR system demonstrated high COD removal efficiencies, averaging 95.7 ± 1.6%, 95.5 ± 0.4%, and 96.1 ± 0.3%, alongside Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) removal rates of 98.3 ± 0.2%, 99.8 ± 0.1%, and 98.5 ± 0.1%, respectively. However, an increased OLR led to elevated residual COD and BOD levels in the treated effluent, with COD concentrations reaching 34.2 ± 12.8, 63.3 ± 5.9, and 76.5 ± 5.4 mg/L, respectively. This study also reveals a significant decline in ammonia and Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) removal efficiencies as OLR increases, dropping from 96.1 ± 0.5% to 80.2 ± 0.9% for ammonia and from 83.8 ± 3.4% to 65.8 ± 2.3% for TKN. Furthermore, higher OLRs significantly contribute to membrane fouling and elevate the transmembrane pressure (TMP), indicating a direct correlation between OLRs and operational challenges in MBR systems. The findings suggest that for optimal performance within the Saudi disposal limits for industrial wastewater, the MBR system should operate at an F/M ratio of ≤0.33 g COD/g of Mixed Liquor Suspended Solid (MLSS)·d. This study underscores the critical role of the OLR and F/M ratio in treating saline industrial wastewater using MBR technology, providing valuable insights for enhancing treatment efficiency and compliance with environmental standards.