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Mechanisms of pathogenic virus removal in a full-scale membrane bioreactor

Rabia M Chaudhry1, Kara L Nelson, Jörg E Drewes

  • 1ReNUWIt (Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure) Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720, United States.

Environmental Science & Technology
|February 3, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) effectively remove viruses like adenovirus and norovirus GII from wastewater. The backwashed membrane and inactivation are key mechanisms, ensuring high log removals even after backwashing.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Water Treatment Technologies
  • Virology

Background:

  • Pathogenic virus removal is critical for wastewater reclamation and public health.
  • Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are increasingly used for advanced wastewater treatment.
  • Understanding virus removal mechanisms in MBRs is essential for process optimization and disinfection credit.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate four pathogenic virus removal mechanisms in a full-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR).
  • To quantify the removal of adenovirus, norovirus genogroup II (GII), and F+ coliphage.
  • To assess the contribution of different removal mechanisms and MBR performance after backwashing.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a full-scale MBR with a nominal pore size of 0.04 μm.
  • Quantified virus levels using quantitative PCR and infectivity assays in various wastewater fractions.
  • Collected permeate samples at different time points relative to chlorine-enhanced backwashes.

Main Results:

  • Achieved high log removals for adenovirus (3.9-5.5), norovirus GII (4.6-5.7), and F+ coliphage (5.4-7.1).
  • The backwashed membrane contributed most to virus removal, followed by inactivation, cake layer retention, and solids attachment.
  • High virus removal was maintained even after backwashing, despite potential particle breakthrough.

Conclusions:

  • MBRs demonstrate significant removal capacity for pathogenic viruses, exceeding 4 logs for adenovirus and norovirus GII.
  • The findings support assigning virus disinfection credit to MBRs used in wastewater reuse applications.
  • The study elucidates key virus removal mechanisms within the MBR process.

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