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Research progress on MBR membrane fouling mechanism and prevention-control technology for coal chemical wastewater
Authors： LI Yafang1,2,  WANG Siqi2, WU Haoyu2, WU Guang1,
 WANG Di1, CHEN Hedi3, LIN Yakai1,3
Units： 1. Ordos Laboratory, Ordos 017010, China;  2. Beijing Key Laboratory of Water Pollution 
Source Control Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry 
University, Beijing 100083, China;  3. National Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and
 Low-Carbon Technology, Department  of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University,Beijing 100084, China
KeyWords： coal chemical wastewater; membrane bioreactor; membrane fouling; membrane fouling control; membrane modification
ClassificationCode：TQ028; X703.1
year,volume(issue):pagination： 2026, 46(4):195-208

Abstract：

Coal chemical wastewater features complex composition, high pollutant concentration, strong toxicity, poor biodegradability, and contains high levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen, refractory organics such as phenols, and high-salt components. This wastewater causes equipment scaling and corrosion, inhibits microbial activity via refractory substances, and triggers membrane fouling by high salinity, colloids, and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which becomes the core challenge in treatment. Membrane bioreactor (MBR), as the core process for coal chemical wastewater treatment, offers advantages including excellent effluent quality, small footprint, and strong shock resistance. However, MBR suffers from membrane pore blockage, microbial adhesion, and organic-inorganic composite fouling due to the complex wastewater quality, which restricts its large-scale stable application. This study analyzes the fouling characteristics and formation mechanism, full-process prevention and control strategies, and membrane life cycle management. It clarifies the three-stage evolution law of membrane fouling, reveals the microscopic interaction mechanism based on the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory, summarizes the advantages and application scenarios of prevention and control technologies such as pretreatment and membrane modification, and proposes a full-process collaborative prevention and control system. This work provides theoretical basis and engineering reference for the long-term stable application of MBR in coal chemical wastewater treatment. 

Funds：

国家自然科学基金面上项目（22378225）； 北京市高层次创新创业人才支持计划科技新星计划资助（202504841001）； 北京市自然科学基金（2252036）；中央高校基本科研业务费（BLX202352）； 高盐废水全膜法深度处理工艺研究(Ordoslab-kjzc-202611)

AuthorIntro：
李雅芳（2001-），女，山西晋中人，硕士研究生，主要研究方向为纳滤膜分离与膜污染；王思奇（2002-），女，河北唐山人,硕士研究生，主要研究方向为超滤膜分离与膜污染

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