**4. Conclusion**

nitrogen (N) and P [90]. Moreover, the reclaimed wastewater of MWW is widely accepted for landscape and crop irrigation thereby preserving the water sources. The anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) systems have become an advantageous technique for treating domestic MWW. Giving the advantages of CMs, recent studies targeted the use for fouling control of

In this context, Jeong et al. [93] are the first to suggest the application of CMs for the anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater (AnCMBR). In this study, The membrane bioreactor holds

Pyrophyllite-based anaerobic ceramic membrane (AnCMBR-PCM), the AnCMBR-ACM has a pore size of 100 nm, pure water permeability of 1104.2 L/m2 h bar, and were operated in the inside-out mode. The performance of CMs was principally done by evaluating the filtering efficiency and treatment performances. For AnCMBR-ACM, at longer hydraulic retention time (HRT) condition (44 ± 3.1 for 1–45 days), the efficiencies of COD, DOC (Dissolved Organic Carbon), and methane content removal reached values of 90.5 ± 6.8%, 95.9 ± 5.3%, and 56.2 ± 5.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the reactor performance was not significantly affected by changes in HRT, which is seen by the rate rejection of COD (96.1 ± 5.1%), DOC (98.5 ± 0.5%), and methane (60.2 ± 4.9%) when the HRT was (18 ± 1.3 for 46–80 days). Both CMs were successfully operated and been suggested as a treatment technique for domestic

The following study confirms the applicability of ceramic membrane bioreactor (CMBR) for urban wastewater, C.-H. Xing et al. [94] used an UF membrane to address wastewater treat-

had a tubular configuration with seven channels that have a diameter of 4.5 mm. Performance of the UF-CMBR was examined with a HRT of 5 h, membrane flux between 75 and 150 L/m<sup>2</sup> h,

solid was on the average as high as 97, 96.2, and 100%, respectively. In addition, the bioreactor was found to be responsible for 85% of COD removal, while 12% was due membrane

The study done by Ali Farsi et al. [95] focuses on the treatment of effluents, from a secondary municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWWTP), by mean of different CMs. The wastewater was characterized by a conductivity of 1120 μS/cm, 2.8 mg/l organic compounds matters and

> O3 , TiO<sup>2</sup>

MF support), and hybrid silica membrane (with γ- AL<sup>2</sup>

MF support) were investigated to assist the membranes ability to remove toxic compounds. The samples from MWW plant were filtered by cross-flow setup at room temperature. The compara-

its selectivity, and flux for wastewater treatment plants. The permeability of the treated MWW

total ions. During the cross-filtration of the spiked MWWTP effluent (copper concentration was

MF a support), TiO<sup>2</sup>

O3

set at approximately 1 ± 0.1 mg/l). The membrane was able to reject CuCl and CuSO<sup>4</sup>


and a support made of γ-Al<sup>2</sup>


membrane was the most promising membrane, in terms of

NF was lower than deionized water (12.8 L/m<sup>2</sup> h bar).

removed the UV254-absorbing components by 75, and 15% of the


O3

O3 . It


O3 sup-

by 40 and

NF on a α-AL<sup>2</sup>


O3

anaerobic ceramic MBR (AnCMBR) [91, 92].

O3

ment. The UF membrane is composed of a top layer of ZrO<sup>2</sup>

5 mg/l inorganic N. The efficiency of MF α- Al<sup>2</sup>

O3

tive study shows that the NF γ-Al<sup>2</sup>

effluent (6.6 L/m<sup>2</sup> h bar) by γ- AL<sup>2</sup>

NF membrane (with α-Al<sup>2</sup>

O3

O3

O3

and a sludge retention time (SRT) of 5. The removal efficiency of COD, NH<sup>3</sup>

either a flat sheet Al<sup>2</sup>

244 Desalination and Water Treatment

wastewater treatment.

separation.

port), γ- Al<sup>2</sup>

O3

In addition, the NF γ- AL<sup>2</sup>

interlayer and α-Al<sup>2</sup>

The increase in energy costs and the demands of products with high quality, that answers consumer needs, and which are less toxic to the environment are all reasons to apply membrane process in industrial activities and water treatment. Current applications of membrane technologies have shown their high-potential to answer the industrial needs. CMs materials with good thermal and chemical stability, such as Al2 O3 , would allow their use in different chemical processes, which are not largely explored with membranes process. Knowledge of the chemistry of Al2 O3 UF and NF membranes elaboration and performance their characteristics were reported. The choice of Al<sup>2</sup> O3 material is due to the different advantages (chemical, physical characteristics) over other mineral materials and mostly over the organic material. Furthermore, the chapter summarizes studies available in treatment by UF and NF Al<sup>2</sup> O3 membranes of wastewater from different industrial activities such as desalination, dyes effluents, discharges from the food industry (namely dietary fats and proteins), oily wastewater effluents, and domestic wastewater. The results obtained by Al<sup>2</sup> O3 -CMs during desalination and water treatment can be explained by membrane dependency on the complexity of the ionic composition of the solution, and the interaction solute-solute and membrane-solute, and the influence of parameters such as the solute hydration radius and its energy. The UF-Al<sup>2</sup> O3 or NF-Al<sup>2</sup> O3 membranes can successfully eliminate the dyes from industrial waste. It can reach 100% of dye elimination and simultaneously contribute to the progress of the textile industrial activity. The use of CMs in the food industry is gradually increasing, however, particular efforts are needed to understand and reduce membrane fouling, which enables the gains in productivity. The experimental results indicate that the Al<sup>2</sup> O3 ceramic UF and NF membranes can be applied to offer a high relative flux and high-oil HC removal efficiency, especially if they are used as secondary treatment. In the other hands, the use of Al2 O3 -CMs for AnCMBR was found to be effective in COD and DOC removal with rejection exceeded 90%.
