Impact of Nitrate on the Removal of Pollutants from Water in Reducing Gas-Based Membrane Biofilm Reactors: A Review

Abstract

The membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) is a novel wastewater treatment technology, garnering attention due to its high gas utilization rate and effective pollutant removal capability. This paper outlines the working mechanism, advantages, and disadvantages of MBfR, and the denitrification pathways, assessing the efficacy of MBfR in removing oxidized pollutants (sulfate (SO4−), perchlorate (ClO4−)), heavy metal ions (chromates (Cr(VI)), selenates (Se(VI))), and organic pollutants (tetracycline (TC), p-chloronitrobenzene (p-CNB)), and delves into the role of related microorganisms. Specifically, through the addition of nitrates (NO3−), this paper analyzes its impact on the removal efficiency of other pollutants and explores the changes in microbial communities. The results of the study show that NO3− inhibits the removal of other pollutants (oxidizing pollutants, heavy metal ions and organic pollutants), etc., in the simultaneous removal of multiple pollutants by MBfR.