WangJian,HuangJing,Wan Peng,et al.Operational Performance and Antifouling Mechanisms of a Conductive Ultrafiltration Membrane under Electrical Enhancement[J].China Water & Wastewater,2026,42(15):1-8.
Click Copy

Operational Performance and Antifouling Mechanisms of a Conductive Ultrafiltration Membrane under Electrical Enhancement

China Water & Wastewater[ISSN:1000-4062/CN:12-1073/TU] volume: 第42卷 Number: 第15期 Page: 1-8 Column: Date of publication: 2026-08-01
Author(s):
Wang　Jian1; 2; 3;  Huang　Jing2; 3;  Wan Peng2; 3;  Sun　Dangdang2;  Guan　Yuntao1
（1. Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School， Shenzhen 518055， China； 2. Shenzhen Water Planning and Design Institute Co. Ltd.， Shenzhen 518108， China； 3. Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Water Affairs Big Data， Shenzhen 518108， China）
Keywords:
membrane bioreactor (MBR);  membrane fouling;  transmembrane pressure;  conductive ultrafiltration membrane;  electrical assistance
Abstract:
To mitigate membrane fouling in the membrane bioreactors (MBR), an electrically assisted conductive ultrafiltration membrane unit (E-UF) was developed and operated in parallel with a conventional ultrafiltration (UF) membrane under real municipal wastewater conditions. The operational performance and antifouling mechanisms were systematically investigated. The results showed that, while maintaining stable COD, TN and NH4+-N removal efficiencies, the E-UF system significantly suppressed transmembrane pressure (TMP) development, with steady-state TMP reduced by 83.6%-90.6% compared to the UF. The corresponding specific suction energy consumption was also markedly decreased. Excitation-emission matrix (EEM) analysis showed that the fluorescence regions associated with protein-like organic matter and microbial metabolic products in the E-UF effluent were markedly reduced. Microbial community analysis indicated enrichment of denitrification-related genera and reduction of potential electron-competing bacteria in E-UF. KEGG-based functional prediction further demonstrated enhanced abundances of key denitrification genes, suggesting a functional shift toward a more complete denitrification pathway. Electrically assisted operation optimized electron allocation and reshaped nitrogen metabolic networks, thereby reducing fouling precursor production and mitigating cake layer compaction. This study provides mechanistic insights into the coupling of electrochemical regulation and biological nitrogen transformation for sustainable fouling control in MBR systems.
Last Update: 2026-08-01