Membrane fouling - a review on the role of EPS

摘要: Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in either bound or soluble/colloidal form are currently considered as the major cause of membrane fouling bioreactors. Several factors like type wastewater, sludge loading rate, age, MLSS concentration, mechanical stress, and microbial growth phase known to influence concentration EPS one way another [1–4]. Also, unsteady states intermittent feeding, irregular wastage shifts oxygen supply [5–7] have been identified additional leading an increase formation a change its propensity (Fig. 1). Despite large number technical publications on EPS, many questions remain unanswered date. A attempts made correlate flux with floc size, rheology [1], soluble [8], but due complex nature biological system difference experimental analytical methods applied these inconsistent often even contradictory. This paper reviews results from authors’ own other labs thereby aims at establishing general evaluation role for fouling.