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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Membrane aerated biofilm reactors for sustainable nitrogen management: Mechanisms, process integration, and
Yuxin Qin1, Jun Zhang1, Peiyao Yuan2
1Shandong Engineering Research Center for Biogas, Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, PR China; School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, PR China; Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, PR China.
None:
Membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABRs) have emerged as a promising platform for sustainable nitrogen management in wastewater treatment, owing to their unique counter-diffusion biofilm architecture. This review critically examines how stratified redox microenvironments in MABRs govern nitrogen transformation pathways, enabling shortcut nitrogen removal and improved energy efficiency. We synthesize recent advances in gas diffusion and mass transfer modeling, microbial functional organization, and process integration strategies, with particular emphasis on simultaneous nitrification-denitrification (SND) and partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A) configurations. Beyond performance advantages, key sustainability challenges are discussed, including nitrite accumulation, nitrous oxide (N2O) formation, operational stability, and scale-up limitations. By linking mechanistic insights with engineering implications, this review identifies critical knowledge gaps and control strategies for minimizing emissions and maximizing nitrogen removal efficiency. The analysis provides a framework for advancing MABR applications toward robust, low-energy, and low-emission nitrogen management in full-scale wastewater treatment systems.
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