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Process bioengineering applied to BTEX degradation in microaerobic treatment systems
João Paulo S Siqueira1, Andrey M Pereira1, Amanda Maria M Dutra1
1Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Journal of Environmental Management
|June 30, 2018
Summary
Microaeration significantly enhances benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) removal in anaerobic bioreactors. Optimal microaeration and effluent recirculation improve performance, with rapid recovery after system interruptions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Bioreactor engineering
- Wastewater treatment
Background:
- Anaerobic bioreactors are crucial for treating industrial wastewater containing BTEX.
- Achieving high BTEX removal efficiencies under anaerobic conditions can be challenging.
- Microaeration offers a potential strategy to enhance biodegradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of microaeration parameters on BTEX degradation in anaerobic bioreactors.
- To assess the role of effluent recirculation and microaeration failure on system performance.
- To identify optimal conditions for microaerobic BTEX removal.
Main Methods:
- Assessing BTEX removal efficiencies under varying anaerobic and microaerobic conditions.
- Investigating the effects of different microaeration flow rates (0.5-2.0 mL/min) and dosing points.
- Analyzing the influence of effluent recirculation and simulating microaeration failure.
- Performing sensitivity and recovery analyses for the bioreactor system.
Main Results:
- Anaerobic BTEX removal efficiencies ranged from 55-82%, with benzene being the most recalcitrant.
- Microaeration (0.5-2.0 mL/min) consistently achieved >83% removal for all BTEX compounds.
- An optimal microaeration flow rate of 1.0 mL/min significantly boosted benzene removal by 30%.
- Effluent recirculation enhanced mass transfer and BTEX removal; volatilization was minimal.
- The bioreactor demonstrated resilience, recovering performance within 2 days after microaeration shutdown.
Conclusions:
- Microaeration is highly effective in improving BTEX degradation in anaerobic bioreactors.
- Optimizing microaeration flow rate and implementing effluent recirculation are key for efficient treatment.
- The system exhibits robustness and rapid recovery capabilities, making it suitable for real-world applications.
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