Integrated reactors (IR) combining anaerobic, aerobic and nitrogen removal processes are a viable alternative to reduce operational costs and footprint compared to conventional wastewater treatment plants. An integrated bench scale (6.4 L) anaerobic-aerobic-anoxic column reactor (ICR) is developed to remove carbon and nitrogen compounds from sewage of our university campus. The ICR is comprised of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB), a membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) and a denitrifying biofilm reactor (DNB). The global COD removal efficiency (eta(C-Global)) is similar to 82% at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8.4 h. The partial nitrification (PN) process is obtained with an ammonia/nitrite ratio (R-a/n) of 4. The experimental data were used to calibrate and validate an integrated carbon-nitrogen removal model (ICNRM), in order to determine operating conditions for the improvement of the ICR performance, considering the hydrodynamic profile and reaction kinetics. A good agreement between the measured and modeled results is obtained with a least square error function (S) lower than 0.09. The model predicts that the COD removal efficiency at the MABR (eta(C-MABR)) and nitrite accumulation at the DNB are influenced by the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (k(L)a) and oxygen concentration, respectively. The optimal operation zone for eta(C-MABR) > 90% and R-a/n of 1.32 were reached for k(L)a between 1.26 and 136 1/h, and an inlet DO concentration of 1.5 to 1.6 mg/L respectively, standing out the importance of calibrating hydrodynamic behavior and kinetics. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.