Abstract
Submerged Membrane bioreactor (SMBR) is one of the last techniques that allow a high quality of treated industrial effluents by coupling biological treatment and membrane separation. Thus, this research was an effort to evaluate performance of a SMBR treating a model textile wastewater (MTWW). Different SMBR operating parameters like mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and Dissolved oxygen concentration, hydraulic retention time (HRT), and nutrients addition (N and P) have been investigated. MTWW (influent to the SMBR) was generated using the reactive azo-dye, Novacron blue FNG (100mg/L feed concentration). Results of MTWW treatment using SMBR under optimal operating conditions (MLSS, 4.2-13.3g/L; HRT, 4 days; pH, 6.9-7.2; conductivity, 400-900 µS/cm and temperature, 19.4-22.2 °C) showed that COD and blue colour treatment performances are between 94-98% and 30-80%, respectively. It is concluded that SMBR can be used in large scale textile wastewater treatment plants to improve effluent quality in order to meet effluent discharge standards.