Influence of neem leaf powder as a natural coagulant in MBR employed to treat dairy wastewaterPrakash, R. (Avtor) Pauline, S. (Avtor) Mahalakshmi, M. (Avtor) Bhuvaneswari, P. (Avtor) Ramalingam, Vijayalakshmi (Avtor) MBRcoagulantneem leaf powdercod reductiontransmembrane pressurespecific oxygen uptake ratesludge settleabilityfoulingThis study pretreats dairy wastewater prior to MBR processing using neem leaf powder as a natural coagulant. Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and EnergyDispersive X-ray Analysis revealed that neem powder has a high surface area, an amorphous-crystalline structure, and coagulation-promoting functional groups and elements. Jar tests optimized coagulant dosage, pH, mixing time, and settling duration. Under ideal conditions, turbidity and COD decreased significantly. Both MBR systems, with and without neem pretreatment, were tested for COD reduction efficiency, transmembrane pressure, permeate flux, specific oxygen uptake rate, and sludge settleability. In the experimental MBR reactors, neem-based pretreatment substantially enhanced COD removal efficiency, peaking at ~99% at a 6-hour hydraulic retention time (HRT), compared to ~90% without pretreatment. The neem-integrated system showed reduced TMP accumulation (17.9 kPa vs. 27.6 kPa), increased flux retention (22.7 vs. 12.9 liters per square meter per hour), and enhanced microbial activity, as measured by Mixed Liquid Volatile Suspended Solids (MLVSS) (23.5 mg O₂/g MLVSS/h). These results indicate that neem powder may enhance biodegradability and reduce membrane fouling, making dairy wastewater management more sustainable.20252026-09-16 08:49:54Članek v reviji187915UDK: 628.312:637.1(078.7)ISSN pri članku: 0352-3551DOI: 10.15292/acta.hydro.2025.09COBISS_ID: 291218179sl