Abstract
The utility of membrane bioreactors (MBR) as a key to global water sustainability, is described. It can remove biodegradable organics, suspended solids, and inorganic nutrients, along with high percentage of pathogens. They also require less space than traditional activated sludge systems because less hydraulic residence time (HRT) is needed to achieve a given solids retention time (SRT). They also provide excellent pretreatment when reverse osmosis (RO) is needed to generate very high-quality reclaimed water. Decentralized MBRs in dense urban settlements would reduce sewer requirements, encourage local agricultural reuse, and eliminate the need for chlorine disinfection.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 31-35 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Water Environment and Technology |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 6 |
State | Published - Jun 2004 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Water Science and Technology
- Pollution
- Environmental Engineering