biostudies-literatureDing CGraduate Innovation Grant Program of Hebei UniversityOpen Project of State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of TechnologyNatural Science Interdisciplinary Research Program of Hebei University2https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12844489biostudies-literatureUnknown16(1)This study developed a novel worm-assisted membrane bioelectrochemical reactor (W-MBER) that integrates aquatic worms and a single-chamber sediment microbial fuel cell into a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to address challenges in energy recovery, sludge reduction, and membrane fouling. The system achieved a stable output of 290 mV at an external resistance of 250 Ω and a maximum power density of 0.013 W/m² while maintaining high removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (93.57%) and ammonia nitrogen (98.61%). Furthermore, the TN removal efficiency was 12.93% higher than that in the conventional MBR (C-MBR), attributed to the anodic anoxic microenvironment. The synergy of worm predation and the bioelectrochemical process reduced sludge production by 28.51% and extended the filtMembranesPerformance of a Novel Worm-Assisted Membrane Bioelectrochemical System: Electricity Recovery, Sludge Reduction, and Membrane Fouling Mitigation.PMC12844489No. HC202242No. DXK202106No. HBU2025SS023Li HLi YLi ZDing CGuo XWang HBian WfalsePerformance of a Novel Worm-Assisted Membrane Bioelectrochemical System: Electricity Recovery, Sludge Reduction, and Membrane Fouling Mitigation.This study developed a novel worm-assisted membrane bioelectrochemical reactor (W-MBER) that integrates aquatic worms and a single-chamber sediment microbial fuel cell into a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to address challenges in energy recovery, sludge reduction, and membrane fouling. The system achieved a stable output of 290 mV at an external resistance of 250 Ω and a maximum power density of 0.013 W/m² while maintaining high removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (93.57%) and ammonia nitrogen (98.61%). Furthermore, the TN removal efficiency was 12.93% higher than that in the conventional MBR (C-MBR), attributed to the anodic anoxic microenvironment. The synergy of worm predation and the bioelectrochemical process reduced sludge production by 28.51% and extended the filt2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Dec2026-06-09T03:14:34.254Z2026-06-09T03:11:26.817ZS-EPMC128444894159055510.3390/membranes16010002