Decentralized Wastewater Treatment in Arctic Climates: Lagoon limitations and MBR-HIX Innovations

This study assesses wastewater treatment lagoon efficiency in a northern Canadian community, focusing on physicochemical parameters, human enteric viruses, and PFAS micropollutants. An anoxic-aerobic MBR combined with a hybrid ion exchange (HIX) nanotechnology resin column was operated under simulated northern conditions to explore alternative solutions. Results showed that the MBR-HIX treatment effectively removed contaminants, while nanofiber membranes had better fouling resistance and less maintenance requirements than commercial PVDF membranes. This study revealed that the proposed MBR-HIX configuration has great potential for sustainable wastewater treatment in remote northern regions.