Moving bed biofilm reactor

Discharging wastewater into the environment poses serious health risks, particularly in impoverished and low-income nations. Additionally, water scarcity in these regions incentivizes wastewater reuse to support livelihoods and economies. The moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) integrates both attached and suspended growth systems, where bacteria adhere to moving carrier materials within the reaction tank. It is employed to enhance existing wastewater treatment plants and is particularly effective for treating heavily polluted municipal and industrial wastewater. The MBBR possesses a compact design, simplified operation, and eliminates the need for returning sludge, unlike conventional activated sludge units. Moreover, the MBBR could be utilized in different configurations, i.e., anoxic/anaerobic systems. Thus, an overview of MBBR design, application, operation, performance as well as limitations was comprehensively discussed in the chapter.