Research Information System
Journal of Water Process Engineering, vol.88, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study investigates the effect of intermittent aeration (IA) in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) coupled to an oxic-settling-anoxic (OSA) cycle for the first time. Various aeration on/off cycles (15/15 min, 30/30 min, 30/60 min, 60/60 min, and 90/60 min) were systematically evaluated during a long-term operation of 358 days to analyze the influence of IA on the system performance in terms of organic matter removal, nitrogen removal, and sludge production. The IA MBR-OSA process significantly reduced sludge production while maintaining high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal efficiencies. Sludge production was reduced by 78% during 30 min on/60 min off period. In terms of TIN removal efficiency, the optimal condition was observed for the on/off cycle of 30:30 min, resulting in a 91% ammonium oxidation and 71% TIN removal efficiencies. Additionally, IA significantly enhanced both specific denitrification rates and the overall TIN removal performance. Although prolonged anoxic periods increased membrane fouling and elevated transmembrane pressure levels, the developed process can be considered as a powerful alternative to conventional bioprocesses for wastewater treatment due to its high performance and reduced sludge production.