New biodegradable waste treatment configurations and technologies have arisen to support the transition of treatment plants towards resource recovery facilities. The utilization of membranes in anaerobic biological processes are attracting attention due to their capacity to recover bioproducts and/or most of the energy potential in biodegradable waste streams and produce high-quality effluents. Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) allow the high controllability of active biomass concentrations inside the reactor, although short hydraulic retention times are applied. However, the feasibility of anaerobic membrane reactors could be impacted by several factors, such as the membrane fouling, the net energy production, the presence of dissolved methane in the permeate when working at low temperatures, and the possible need for post-treatments to recover nutrients.
The goal of this Research Topic is to cover research trends and recent advances related to anaerobic membrane bioreactors as a key technology in the circular economy. In this collection there will be a special emphasis on new approaches that could improve anaerobic membrane bioreactor operations and overcome the factors hindering its widespread application. This Research Topic is not only limited to successful novel configurations or applications of AnMBRs in a resource recovery scenario, but also to the whole process in which the AnMBR is a core unit: (i) pre-treatments applied to the AnMBR, (ii) downstream processes related to the gaseous, liquid and/or solid effluents of AnMBRs, (iii) utilization of the obtained permeate, as well as (iv) Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost Analysis of AnMBR processes.
The current Research Topic is focused on promising new research studies related to anaerobic membrane bioreactors. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Application of anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) for bioenergy and/or bioproducts production from biodegradable wastes or wastewaters.
• Novel AnMBR configurations.
• Co-treatment of biodegradable wastes or wastewaters in AnMBRs.
• Fouling control in AnMBRs.
• Fate of microcontaminants in AnMBR processes.
• Pre-treatments for AnMBR processes.
• Downstream treatment processes or applications of gaseous, liquid and/or solid effluents of AnMBRs.
• Life Cycle Assessment/Life Cycle Cost Analysis of AnMBR processes.
The Research Topic will contain Original Research article types.
New biodegradable waste treatment configurations and technologies have arisen to support the transition of treatment plants towards resource recovery facilities. The utilization of membranes in anaerobic biological processes are attracting attention due to their capacity to recover bioproducts and/or most of the energy potential in biodegradable waste streams and produce high-quality effluents. Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) allow the high controllability of active biomass concentrations inside the reactor, although short hydraulic retention times are applied. However, the feasibility of anaerobic membrane reactors could be impacted by several factors, such as the membrane fouling, the net energy production, the presence of dissolved methane in the permeate when working at low temperatures, and the possible need for post-treatments to recover nutrients.
The goal of this Research Topic is to cover research trends and recent advances related to anaerobic membrane bioreactors as a key technology in the circular economy. In this collection there will be a special emphasis on new approaches that could improve anaerobic membrane bioreactor operations and overcome the factors hindering its widespread application. This Research Topic is not only limited to successful novel configurations or applications of AnMBRs in a resource recovery scenario, but also to the whole process in which the AnMBR is a core unit: (i) pre-treatments applied to the AnMBR, (ii) downstream processes related to the gaseous, liquid and/or solid effluents of AnMBRs, (iii) utilization of the obtained permeate, as well as (iv) Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost Analysis of AnMBR processes.
The current Research Topic is focused on promising new research studies related to anaerobic membrane bioreactors. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Application of anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) for bioenergy and/or bioproducts production from biodegradable wastes or wastewaters.
• Novel AnMBR configurations.
• Co-treatment of biodegradable wastes or wastewaters in AnMBRs.
• Fouling control in AnMBRs.
• Fate of microcontaminants in AnMBR processes.
• Pre-treatments for AnMBR processes.
• Downstream treatment processes or applications of gaseous, liquid and/or solid effluents of AnMBRs.
• Life Cycle Assessment/Life Cycle Cost Analysis of AnMBR processes.
The Research Topic will contain Original Research article types.