Quorum Sensing and Biofouling Control in Membrane Bioreactors
Summary
Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) combine biological degradation with membrane separation, offering high‐quality effluent and compact footprint in wastewater treatment. Yet biofouling, driven by microbial adhesion and biofilm formation on membrane surfaces, remains the principal operational challenge. Central to biofilm development is quorum sensing (QS), a density‐dependent cell–cell communication mechanism mediated by small autoinducers such as N‐acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). At threshold concentrations, AHLs trigger coordinated expression of biofilm‐associated genes, notably those encoding extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and soluble microbial products (SMP). Quorum quenching (QQ) approaches, which disrupt QS via enzymatic degradation, competitive inhibition or sequestration of signal molecules, have emerged as promising strategies for attenuating biofilm formation without relying on biocidal agents. Recent advances in reactor design, microbial community management and membrane materials have been guided by insights into QS networks and QQ interventions, offering pathways towards more sustainable and energy‐efficient MBR operation.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies have advanced understanding of QS‐mediated fouling and its mitigation in MBR systems. One investigation demonstrated that during anaerobic granulation, levels of C8‐HSL and C10‐HSL rose more than twentyfold, closely correlating with EPS production and sludge particle enlargement; exogenous addition of these AHLs further stimulated polymer synthesis, underscoring QS as a driver of granule formation. A complementary study revealed that co‐cultivation of fouling‐causing and fouling‐enhancing bacterial strains led to elevated secretion of C8‐HSL, which in turn promoted SMP release and aggravated membrane fouling. These findings highlight interspecies signalling as a pivotal determinant of fouling potential and suggest that targeting specific AHL pathways could curtail SMP‐driven membrane blockage.
Quorum Sensing and Biofouling Control in Membrane Bioreactors publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in quorum sensing and biofouling control in membrane bioreactors across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Quorum sensing (QS): Cell–cell communication in bacteria via signal molecules enabling coordinated gene expression at high cell density.
Quorum quenching (QQ): Disruption or inactivation of QS signals to prevent coordinated microbial behaviours such as biofilm formation.
N‐Acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs): Small diffusible signal molecules produced by Gram‐negative bacteria to mediate QS.
Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS): Complex mixture of biopolymers secreted by microbes that form the matrix of biofilms.
Soluble microbial products (SMP): Metabolites released by bacteria in suspension or biofilm that contribute to membrane fouling.
Membrane bioreactor (MBR): Wastewater treatment system combining biological treatment with membrane filtration.
Solid retention time (SRT): Average time biomass is retained in a bioreactor, influencing microbial community structure and fouling propensity.
References
- N‐Acyl Homoserine Lactone‐Mediated Quorum Sensing with Special Reference to Use of Quorum Quenching Bacteria in Membrane Biofouling Control. BioMed Research International (2014).
- The biological role of N-acyl-homoserine lactone-based quorum sensing (QS) in EPS production and microbial community assembly during anaerobic granulation process. Scientific Reports (2018).
- Membrane fouling induced by AHL-mediated soluble microbial product (SMP) formation by fouling-causing bacteria co-cultured with fouling-enhancing bacteria. Scientific Reports (2017).
- Quorum quenching, biological characteristics, and microbial community dynamics as key factors for combating fouling of membrane bioreactors. npj Clean Water (2021).
- Diversity of Acyl Homoserine Lactone Molecules in Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors Treating Sewage at Psychrophilic Temperatures. Membranes (2020).
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