Treatment of fresh leachate by anaerobic membrane bioreactor: On-site investigation, long-term performance and response of microbial community

•Properties of fresh leachate were analyzed by eight-month on-site sampling.•AnMBR achieved an average COD removal rate of 98% for fresh leachate.•AnMBR achieved a maximum OLR of 19.27 kg-COD/m3/d at an HRT of 1.5 d.•High abundances of key microbes contributed to the stable operation of AnMBR.•An excessive OLR at HRT of 1 d caused a sharp decline in the abundance of archaea.