Use of MBR for xenobiotcs removal from civil and industrial wastewaters: first results from an Italian national research project.

The results of ten months experiments on a flat sheet Membrane BioReactor (MBR) pilot plant are presented. The study was finalised to test the MBR sludge resistant to chromium inhibition used in tannery industries. The plant was daily monitored and microbiology analysis were performed too, to evaluate the species composition and distribution of microfauna. The results show: chromium did not affect the MBR sludge treatment ability; the MBR sludge is more resistant to chromium inhibition than Conventional Activated Sludge (CAS) and the flat sheet membrane is able to avoid the heavy metal presence in the effluent. Differences have been detected about the floc size, species composition and distribution of microfauna between CAS, MBR and MBR with chromium sludge. These could explain the MBR sludge resistance to inhibition and promote the MBR in the treatment of wastewater contaminated by heavy metals.