An integrated anaerobic fluidized-bed membrane bioreactor (IAFMBR) was investigated to treat synthetic high-strength benzothiazole wastewater (50 mg/L) at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24, 18, and 12 h. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency (from 93.6% to 90.9%), the methane percentage (from 70.9% to 69.27%), and the methane yield (from 0.309 m(3) CH,/kg.CODremoved to 0.316 m(3) CH4/kg.CODremoved) were not affected by decreasing HRTs. However, it had an adverse effect on membrane fouling (decreasing service period from 5.3 d to 3.2 d) and benzothiazole removal efficiency (reducing it from 97.5% to 82.3%). Three sludge samples that were collected on day 185, day 240, and day 297 were analyzed using an Illumina (R) MiSeq platform. It is striking that the dominant genus of archaea was always Methanosaeta despite of HRTs. The proportions of Methanosaeta were 80.6% (HRT 24), 91.9% (HRT 18), and 91.2% (HRT 12). The dominant bacterial genera were Clostridium in proportions of 23.9% (HRT 24), 16.4% (HRT 18), and 15.3% (HRT 12), respectively.
