Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 11, 2025

Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production
Published on: March 22, 2024
Enhanced methane production coupled with livestock wastewater treatment using anaerobic membrane bioreactor:
Jialing Tang1, Yunhui Pu2, Ting Zeng3
1Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China; Key Lab of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China.
Abstract:
The present study introduced a new method for enhanced biomethane production and pollution control of swine wastewater (SW) using anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). Results confirmed 35 °C as the optimum temperature for enhanced anaerobic digestion which resulted in relatively higher methane production rate and potential. In AnMBR system, robust pollutants removal and conversion rate were achieved under various hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 20 to 10 days, while the highest methane yield (0.24 L/g-CODremoved) and microbial activity (6.65 mg-COD/g-VSS·h) were recorded at HRT of 15 days. Reduction of HRT to 10 days resulted in serious membrane fouling due to accumulation of extracellularpolymericsubstances(EPS) and cake layer on the membrane. However, cake layer as the dominant membrane foulant could be effectively removed through periodic physical backwash to recover the membrane permeability. Overall, the suggested AnMBR is a promising technology to enhance SW treatment and energy recovery.
Related Concept Videos
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Overview of Archaea
Bioremediation
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
Amino Acid Catabolism

