Efficient removal of organic compounds from shale gas wastewater by coupled ozonation and moving-bed-biofilm submerged membrane bioreactor

Shale gas wastewater (SGW) with complex composition and high salinity needs an economical and efficient method of treatment with the main goal to remove organics. In this study, a coupled system consisting of ozonation and moving-bed-biofilm submerged membrane bioreactor (MBBF-SMBR) was comprehensively evaluated for SGW treatment and compared with a similar train comprising ozonation and submerged membrane bioreactor (SMBR) without addition of carriers attaching biofilm. The average removal rates of MBBF-SMBR were 77.8% for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and 37.0% for total nitrogen (TN), higher than those observed in SMBR, namely, 73.9% for DOC and 18.6% for TN. The final total membrane resistance in SMBR was 40.1% higher than that in MBBF-SMBR. Some genera that specifically contribute to organic removal were identified. Enhanced gene allocation for membrane transporters and nitrogen metabolism was found in MBBF-SMBR biofilm, implying that this system has significant industrial application potential for organics removal from SGW.