Mabarex Inc. has developed a fixed film biological treatment process commercialized under the brand name SMBR™ (Suspended Media Bio-Rector). The media’s brand name is Peenox™.



Moving Bed Bioreactor (MBBR) – Mabarex

This technology is particularly well adapted to high loads or variable loads, such as in industrial effluents, food plants, leachate landfill sites, and petro-chemical waste water treatment plants. It also allows for increasing the capacity of existing plants in order to meet more stringent BOD5 and ammonia nitrogen regulations.

This technology is characterized by the following elements:

  • The Peenox™ media, made of plastic HDPE (high density polyethylene), used as a support for the growth of large biomass concentrations.
  • A coarse bubble aeration system, according to every specific application.
  • Carrier retaining screens, to keep the media inside basin (reactor).

The Peenox™ media offers a large surface available for the fixed biomass to grow. The presence of this fixed biomass increases the loading rate, which allows the treatment of more soluble pollution per cubic meter of tankage volume than conventional technologies.

The SMBR™ technology is suitable for the construction of new installations and the upgrade of existing biological wastewater plants. In this case, Peenox™ media is directly added inside of the existing basins, and the aeration system is adapted with the new design.

The SMBR™ technology can be used for BOD and nitrogen removal applications. Multi-stage treatment can be design according to effluent requirements.

Key elements of the process

  • Fluidized Bio-Reactor with floating media is used for reduction of BOD/COD and nitrogen
  • Complete nitrification and denitrification
  • Low influent concentrations (i.e. 200 mg/l BOD or less)
  • High influent concentrations (i.e. : 10 000 mg/l BOD or more)