Demir, OzlemAtasoy, Ayse DilekCalis, BediaCakmak, YakupDi Capua, FrancescoSahinkaya, ErkanUcar, Deniz2026-02-122026-02-1220220048-96971879-1026https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158470https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12885/6722Nitrate (NO3-) contamination of groundwater is a major health concern worldwide as it can lead to serious illnesses such as methemoglobinemia and cancer. Autotrophic denitrification is a smart approach for treating groundwater, being typically organic-deficient. Lately, biogenic sulfur (S-bio(0)) has emerged as a sustainable, free, and high-efficiency substrate to fuel membrane bioreactors (MBRs) treating contaminated groundwater. However, the effects of moderate temperature and biomass concentration on the performance and fouling of the S-bio(0)-fed MBR were not investigated previously. This study shows that biomass levels of similar to 1 g MLVSS/L limit membrane fouling but also denitrification efficiency. Biomass augmentation up to 3 g MLVSS/L enhanced denitrification but worsened fouling due to increase of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) levels in the bulk liquid. Temperature decrease from 30 degrees C to 20 degrees C halved denitrification efficiency, which could be partially recovered through bioaugmentation. The mechanisms affected by temperature decrease, practical applications, and future research needs were discussed.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessAutotrophic denitrificationBiogenic sulfurMembrane bioreactorGroundwater treatmentNitrateTemperatureArticle10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158470853WOS:0008654394000132-s2.0-8513763583836063930Q1Q1