Membrane and Water Treatment

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Effects of N-acetylcysteine on biofilm formation by MBR sludge

  • Song, WonJung (Department of Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Lade, Harshad (Department of Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Yu, YoungJae (Department of Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Kweon, JiHyang (Department of Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University)
  • Received : 2018.01.09
  • Accepted : 2018.05.02
  • Published : 2018.05.25
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Abstract

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been widely used as an initial mucolytic agent and is generally used as an antioxidant to help alleviate various inflammatory symptoms. NAC reduces bacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production, bacterial adhesion to the surface and strength of mature biofilm. The efficacy has been shown to inhibit proliferation of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In membrane bioreactor (MBR) processes, which contain a variety of gram negative bacteria, biofilm formation has become a serious problem in stable operation. In this study, use of NAC as an inhibitor of biofilm contamination was investigated using the center for disease control (CDC) reactors with MBR sludge. Biomass reduction was confirmed with CLSM images of membrane surfaces by addition of NAC, which was more efficient as the concentration of NAC was increased to 1.5 mg/mL. NAC addition also showed decreases in EPS concentrations of the preformed biofilm, indicating that NAC was able to degrade EPS in the mature biofilm. NAC addition was also effective to inhibit biofilm formation by MBR sludge, which consisted of various microorganisms in consortia.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE)

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