Change of extracellular polymeric substances and microbial community in biofouling mitigation by continuous vanillin dose in membrane bioreactor

Vanillin ― a bioactive substance to interfere various biological activities is reportedly able mitigate fouling in membrane bioreactor (MBR). However, impact of continuous dose vanillin on treatment performance and microbial MBR are still unknown. In this study, effects production extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) community was investigated lab-scale under vanillin. remarkably reduced accordance with less development cake layer. It probably because bulk sludge contained more hydrophilic components became adhesive by lower abundance Xanthomonadaceae Chitonophagaceae, which known produce viscous EPS hydrophobic lipopolysaccharides. addition, filtration resistance layer contents SMP LB-EPS due inhibition Flavobacterium Xanthomonadaceae, biofilm forming bacteria producers. These results suggest that interference activity alters characteristics EPS, thus effectively biofouling MBR.