Application of quorum quenching to improve performance of membrane bioreactors: A comprehensive mini-review

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have been widely used for wastewater treatment, presenting however a major disadvantage, the membrane fouling problem. The sludge microorganisms produce soluble microbial products (SMP) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that lead to a formation of a sticky biofilm layer. This biofilm layer causes membrane biofouling since the activated sludge substances attach to the membrane. Quorum quenching (QQ) constitutes an innovative method that effectively reduces membrane fouling with its research being evolved rapidly. Quorum quenching is the disruption of the inter-species and intra-species signaling pathways. The QQ application results in minimization of membrane biofilm formation, SMP and EPS production, and therefore membrane fouling reduction. This review work summarized all the cutting-edge research and patents of the application of the QQ method for membrane fouling reduction, the methods for screening QQ activity and biofouling mitigation, and finally described the challenges of the QQ application in real scale MBR units. This mini-review may be valuable and appropriate for further development work.