White spot syndrome virus removal was performed in three submerged membrane bioreactors with the different membrane pore sizes. Samples were sampled from the influent, effluent and supernatant fluid in each MBR and were detected by a Taqman-based real-time PCR technology. When these MBRs with a pore of 0.45 μm, 0.22 μm, and 0.1 μm were treated the virus of WSSV isolated from the phosphorous buffer saline, the removal rate of WSSV could be achieved 0.6 lg, 1.18 lg, and 5.5 lg, respectively. The removal rate of the membrane module with a pore size of 0.45 μm was lowest than those of the other membrane modules. When the MBRs with the different pore sizes were treated the domestic aquaculture wastewater containing the WSSV, the removal efficiency of WSSV in the MBRs with a pore size of 0.22, 0.45 μm was increasing while the filtration resistance increased. It was revealed that the biofilm accumulating on the surface of the membrane made a major contribution to WSSV removal. No significant difference on the removal efficiency of WSSV was found (p0.05) in the MBRs on hour 12, the membrane with a pore size of 0.45 μm demonstrated an almost complete removal of WSSV (up to 5.35 lg). |