Biotic and abiotic bisphenol-A removal from wastewater by activated sludge: effects of temperature, biomass, and...

In this study, bisphenol-A (BPA) removal from synthetic wastewaters using a laboratory-scale activated sludge system was achieved. Activated (biotic) sludge was used for BPA elimination, whereas inactivated (abiotic) sludge was used during the adsorption study. In each step, six different BPA concentrations (5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg L(-1)) were tested, and temperatures were set to 10, 20, and 30 °C in the shakers. Four different activated sludge concentrations (1,000, 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 mg TSS L(-1)) were applied in the biotic study, and only 2,000 mg TSS L(-1) was used in the abiotic study. After settlement of the sludge in the shakers, supernatants and control groups were filtered and analyzed for BPA using high performance liquid chromatography. In the biotic study, BPA and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations were reduced at 100% and 99% levels, respectively. However, the BPA concentrations during the abiotic study changed slightly at varying temperatures, whereas there was no change of BPA concentration observed in the control groups. Results indicate that the main factor of BPA removal in an activated sludge system is biological. Kinetic studies were also conducted. BPA removal was best fit to zero- and first-order reaction kinetics, and the reaction rate constants are provided in this paper.