Table 2 Applications of nanoparticles membrane bioreactor (NPs-MBR) system.

Polyethersulfone (PES)/TiO₂ NPs

Membrane pore size = 0.2 µm

Synthetic wastewater

Submerged MBR

SRT = 50 d, MLSS = 6900 mg L⁻¹, MLVSS = 4400 mg L⁻¹, SCOD = 52 mg L⁻¹, T = 24 ± 2 °C

Lower rate of membrane fouling

⁵¹

Polysulfone (PSf)/Fe₃O₄ NPs

Membrane surface area = 23.75 cm²

Industrial wastewater

MBR

V = 7.5 L, pH = 8 ± 1, T = 25–27 °C, SRT = infinite days

COD (98%), 30% higher flux, 27% lower filtration resistance

⁵³

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/ zinc oxide NPs

Mean pore size = 504.35 nm, Mean roughness = 13.6 nm

Hospital wastewater

COD = 950 mg L⁻¹, NH₃ = 165 mg L⁻¹, NO₃ = 45 mg L⁻¹, P = 17.23 mg L⁻¹, TSS = 636 mg L⁻¹

UCT-MBR

V = 8.0 L, HRT = 2 h, SRT = 25 d, T = 25 ± 2 °C

COD (73.5 %), FRE (87 %)

¹¹⁴

High-density polyethylene (HDPE)/SiO₂ NPs

Membrane surface area = 14 × 10⁻⁴ m²

Industrial wastewater

COD = 3000 mg L⁻¹, BOD = 1250 mg L⁻¹

MBR

V = 12 L, HRT = 24 h, SRT = 20 d, aeration rate 0.5 L min⁻¹, MLSS = 8000 mg L⁻¹

COD (96.7%),

FR (89.95%)

¹¹⁰

Cellulose acetate (CA)/cellulose ester/TiO₂ NPs

Membrane surface area = 26.42 cm²

Municipal wastewater

Submerged MBR

V = 0.2 L, Pressure = 0.3-bar

Higher filtration resistance

¹⁰³

PSf/alumina NPs

Membrane surface area = 23.75 cm²

Industrial wastewater

Submerged MBR

V = 8 L, pH =8.3, SRT = infinite, MLSS = 12 ± 0.5 kg L⁻¹

COD (90.28%), DR

(91.18%),

Rf (m⁻¹) × 10¹¹ = 1.61

¹⁰⁹

CA/nanodiamond (ND)

Membrane surface area = 14.7 cm²

Pharmaceutical wastewater

COD = 2800 mg L⁻¹

MBR

V = 12 L, HRT = 24 h, SRT = 25 d,

Aeration = 2.5–3 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹, MLSS = 6500–7000 mg L⁻¹, T = 25 °C

COD (91%), FRR (95.2%), PWF = 350 L m² h⁻¹

¹¹⁵

PES/polycitrate- alumoxane NPs

Membrane surface area = 12.56 cm²

Milk processing wastewater

COD = 2131 mg L⁻¹, BOD = 1535.7 mg L⁻¹, TN = 273.1 mg L⁻¹, TP = 60.2 mg L⁻¹, pH=5.5

MBR

V = 4.4 L, HRT = 8 h, SRT = 60 d,flow rate = 0.80 L h⁻¹, permeate flux = 18.2 L m² h⁻¹

COD (94.2%), TN (38%), TP (34.2%), Turbidity (~100%)

FRR (95.2%)

¹¹⁸

Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF)/ silica NPs

Municipal wastewater

Pilot-scale MBR

Water flux = 100 L m⁻² h⁻¹

Water flux recovery (60%)

¹¹¹

Graphene/polyaniline/phytic acid

Membrane surface area = 40 cm²

Yeast suspension solution

Zetapotential = − 12.9 mV, Size = 7 μm

Electric field MBR

V = 2.7 L, aeration rate = 0.2 m³ h⁻¹, MLSS = 2000 mg L⁻¹

~11% higher filtration efficiency

¹¹²

Graphene (Gr)/polypyrrole (PPy)

Membrane surface area = 80 cm²

Yeast suspension solution

Zetapotential = − 12.9 mV, Size = 7 μm

Electric field MBR

V = 4 L, aeration rate = 0.2 m³ h⁻¹, MLSS = 5000 mg L⁻¹

Better antifouling performance

¹¹³

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/TiO₂ NPs

Membrane surface area = 500 cm²

Synthetic wastewater

COD = 200–250 mg L⁻¹, (COD/TN) ratio = 5–6, pH = 7–8

Submerged anoxic/oxic MBR (A/O-MBR)

V = 8 L, HRT = 6 h, SRT = 24 d, aeration = 2–3 m³ m^-2 h⁻¹, MLSS = 6000–7000 mg L⁻¹, T = 15–20 °C

Less fouling

(87%), NH₄-N (97%), TN (80%)

¹⁰⁴

PVDF/TiO₂NPs

Membrane surface area = 50 cm²

Synthetic wastewater

Algal membrane bioreactor (A-MBR)

V = 4 L, HRT = 0.5 d, SRT = 25 d, T = 23 ± 2 °C

Better antifouling property

P (78%), N (34%)

¹⁰⁵

PVDF/TiO₂NPs

Membrane surface area = 15.89 cm²

Oil wastewater

COD = 2300–2500 mg L⁻¹

Submerged MBR

V = 10 L, HRT = 25–28 h, SRT = 70–100 d, MLSS = 6000–7000 mg L⁻¹

Higher pure water flux

Lower fouling resistance

¹⁰⁶

PES/Ag-GO

Membrane surface area = 38 cm²

synthetic wastewater and sludge

COD = 599 ± 20 mg L⁻¹

MBR

V = 50 L, pressure= 0.6 bar, aeration = 8 L min⁻¹, MLSS = 8500 ± 756 mg L⁻¹, pH = 7 ± 0.5

COD ( > 95%)

¹¹⁹

Polypropylene (PP)/TiO₂ NPs

Membrane surface area = 14.7 cm²

Real wastewater

COD = 178 mg L⁻¹

Submerged MBR

V = 12 L, HRT = 24 h, SRT = 20 d, pressure = 0.1 bar, aeration = 0.5–1.5 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹, MLSS = 7000 mg L⁻¹

COD (70%)

¹⁰⁸

PP/TiO₂ NPs

Membrane surface area = 14 cm²

Real wastewater

COD = 178 mg L⁻¹

Aerobic MBR

V = 20 L, HRT = 24 h, SRT = 20 d, pressure = 0.1 bar, aeration = 0.5 L min⁻¹, MLSS = 7000 mg L⁻¹, T = room temp, pH = 6.8–7.6

COD (65.16%)

¹⁰⁷

PVDF/Ag-SiO₂ NPs

Membrane surface area = 56.52 cm²

Pharmaceutical wastewater

COD = 1500 mg L⁻¹

Submerged MBR

V = 20 L, HRT = 12 h, SRT = 20 d, pressure = 0.2 bar, MLSS = 7000–8000 mg L⁻¹

COD ( > 90 %),

NH₄⁺-N( > 95 %),

⁵⁷

PSf/ND

Membrane surface area = 14.7 cm²

Pharmaceutical wastewater

Submerged MBR

V = 50 mL, HRT = 24 h, SRT = 25 d, pressure = 0.1 bar, aeration = 2.5–3 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹, MLSS = 7500–8000 mg L⁻¹, T = 25 °C

FRR (58.93 %)

¹¹⁶

HDPE/ND-PEG

Membrane surface area = 14.7 cm²

Pharmaceutical wastewater

COD = 3300 mg L⁻¹

Submerged MBR

V = 25 mL, HRT = 37 h, SRT = 30 d, pressure = 0.1 bar, aeration = 1 Lmin⁻¹ MLSS = 7500 mg L⁻¹

FRR (77.9%)

¹¹⁷

PVC/polycarbonate(PC)/ Ag NPs

Membrane surface area = 14.7 cm²

Pharmaceutical wastewater

COD = 1200 mg L⁻¹

Submerged MBR

V = 25 mL, HRT = 4 h, SRT = 25 d, pressure = 0.1 bar, aeration = 2.5 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹, MLSS = 7500–8000 mg L⁻¹, T = 25 °C

FRR (97.02%),

COD (98.1%)

¹²⁰

PVC/Ag NPs

Membrane surface area = 14.7 cm²

Pharmaceutical wastewater

COD = 1200 mg L⁻¹

Submerged MBR

V = 25 mL, HRT = 24 h, SRT = 25 d, pressure = 0.1 bar, aeration = 2.5 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹, MLSS = 7500–8000 mg L⁻¹, T = 25 °C

FR (99.8%),

COD (94 %)

⁵⁸