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A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Advanced oxidation process-biological system for wastewater containing a recalcitrant pollutant
I Oller1, S Malato, J A Sánchez-Pérez
1Plataforma Solar de Almería-CIEMAT, Carretera Senés Km 4, 04200 Tabernas (Almería), Spain. isabel.oller@psa.es
Summary
Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) like ozonation and photo-Fenton effectively pre-treat recalcitrant industrial wastewater. This enhances biodegradability, allowing biological reactors to achieve over 90% total organic carbon removal.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Water Treatment Technologies
- Advanced Oxidation Processes
Background:
- Industrial wastewater often contains biorecalcitrant compounds, hindering conventional biological treatment.
- Saline wastewater with high organic load poses significant treatment challenges.
- Alpha-methylphenylglycine (MPG) is a representative biorecalcitrant compound in industrial effluents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of ozonation and solar photo-Fenton as pre-treatment steps for industrial saline wastewater.
- To assess the enhancement of wastewater biodegradability after AOPs.
- To determine the overall efficiency of combined AOP/biological treatment systems for TOC reduction.
Main Methods:
- Field-scale application of ozonation (50-L reactor) and solar photo-Fenton (75-L pilot plant with CPC units).
- Treatment of wastewater containing 500 mg/L MPG and initial TOC around 200 mg/L.
- Zahn-Wellens biocompatibility tests to assess biodegradability enhancement.
- Subsequent biological treatment in a 170-L aerobic immobilised biomass reactor (IBR).
Main Results:
- Complete MPG degradation achieved in 1020 min (ozonation) and 195 min (photo-Fenton).
- Biodegradability of the wastewater increased to over 70% post-AOP treatment.
- Combined AOP/biological systems achieved 90% removal of initial TOC (>500 mg/L).
Conclusions:
- Ozonation and solar photo-Fenton are effective pre-treatment methods for recalcitrant industrial wastewater.
- AOP pre-treatment significantly enhances the biodegradability of challenging effluents.
- Combined AOP and biological treatment offers a high-efficiency solution for industrial saline wastewater remediation.
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