Removal of pharmaceuticals and organic matter from municipal wastewater using two-stage anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactor

The aim of present study was to treat municipal wastewater in two-stage anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactor (AFMBR) (anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) followed by AFMBR) using granular activated carbon (GAC) as carrier medium in both stages. Approximately 95% COD removal efficiency could be obtained when the two-stage AFMBR was operated at total HRT of 5 h (2 h for AFBR and 3 h for AFMBR) and influent COD concentration of 250 mg/L. About 67% COD and 99% TSS removal efficiency could be achieved by the system treating the effluent from primary clarifier of municipal wastewater treatment plant, at HRT of 1.28 h and OLR of 5.65 kg COD/m3 d. The system could also effectively remove twenty detected pharmaceuticals in raw wastewaters with removal efficiency in the range of 86–100% except for diclofenac (78%). No other membrane fouling control was required except scouring effect of GAC for flux of 16 LMH.