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Historical developments up-to-date and operational challenges of membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) were reviewed. A database of international, peer-reviewed journal articles regarding MBfR research from 1984 to 2008 was established and analyzed with a total of 107 papers. MBfR studies began to evolve in the early 1980s, since then the number of published papers increased steadily. After 2000, geographic locations where the research was conducted widened beyond North America and Europe to Asia. Research studies were divided into 4 categories and reviewed according to their main research focuses. In spite of the short history of MBfRs, studies have shown promising potential, possibly extending their application beyond nitrogen removal and organics removal. The MBfR research branched out to new fields including autotrophic denitrification. There are some important aspects of MBfRs that pose significant challenges to the application of this technology on a commercial scale in the near-future. The main challenge revolves around biofilm thickness and activity control. Further laboratory and demonstration scale studies on some of the proposed strategies for biofilm control are needed. Ultimately, more field studies with real wastewater should be performed to evaluate the resilience of the process in the face of flow and strength fluctuations, establishing optimum operational strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As mathematical modeling of wastewater treatment plants has become more common in research and consultancy, a mismatch between education and requirements for model-related jobs has developed. There seems to be a shortage of skilled people, both in terms of quantity and in quality. In order to address this problem, this paper provides a framework to outline different types of model-related jobs, assess the required skills for these jobs and characterize different types of education that modelers obtain "in school" as well as "on the job". It is important to consider that education of modelers does not mainly happen in university courses and that the variety of model related jobs goes far beyond use for process design by consulting companies. To resolve the mismatch, the current connection between requirements for different jobs and the various types of education has to be assessed for different geographical regions and professional environments. This allows the evaluation and improvement of important educational paths, considering quality assurance and future developments. Moreover, conclusions from a workshop involving practitioners and academics from North America and Europe are presented. The participants stressed the importance of non-technical skills and recommended strengthening the role of realistic modeling experience in university training. However, this paper suggests that all providers of modeling education and support, not only universities, but also software suppliers, professional associations and companies performing modeling tasks are called to assess and strengthen their role in training and support of professional modelers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]