Utilizing ultrasonic vibrations to mitigate membrane fouling in domestic wastewater membrane bioreactors: a mini review

Despite their compact design and superior effluent quality, resulting from the smart integration of separation processes with biodegradation, the widespread adoption of membrane bioreactors is limited due to the persistent issue of membrane fouling. This mini review encapsulates research on using ultrasound-induced vibration to mitigate membrane fouling in domestic wastewater systems. It discusses the dual physical and chemical mechanisms behind the use of ultrasound and highlights its limitations. Moreover, it proposes several future research directions, including further examination of operating conditions such as ultrasound power and frequency, combining ultrasound with other cleaning strategies scaling up the process, and the need for long-term experiments, where additional emphasis must be given (i) to the influence of ultrasound irradiation on membrane integrity and efficiency and (ii) estimating the cost of sonochemical integration and operation Finally, it underscores the need for a holistic assessment that considers energy and environmental issues and discusses a proposed roadmap toward implementing ultrasound technology in membrane bioreactor systems. (c) 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.