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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]