Artificial regulation of aerobic and anaerobic layers interface enhanced efficient nitrogen removal by weaving insulating grid and conductive carbon fiber in membrane aerated biofilm reactor(MABR)

Artificial regulation of the thickness of the aerobic and anaerobic layers of the biofilm is the key to enhancing the nitrogen removal efficiency of the membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR). In this study, conductive aeration membrane modules were fabricated using physical weaving technology, aiming to achieve efficient nitrogen removal by coupling MABR with microbial electrochemical technology. In this study, insulating grids and conductive carbon fibers were successively woven onto the aeration membrane. In the anaerobic layer, the anammox function genes was the highest, followed by denitrification function genes. Compared with the traditional aeration membrane, this composite aeration membrane structure controlled the O2 concentration gradient inside and monitored the O2 concentration inside biofilms. In this study, the efficient spatial coupling between the aerobic and anaerobic layers successfully solved the problem of biofilm stratification regulation. This provided methods and basis for monitoring the O2 concentration inside biofilms and artificial regulating the thickness of biofilms.