Enhanced Oilfield-Produced-Water Treatment Using Fe³⁺-Augmented Composite Bioreactor: Performance and Microbial...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Biotechnology
• Microbial Ecology
• Petroleum Engineering

Background:

• Oilfield-produced water contains recalcitrant organic compounds challenging conventional biological treatments.
• Effective treatment is crucial for environmental protection and water reuse in the petroleum industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an Fe3+-augmented composite bioreactor for enhanced multi-pollutant removal from oilfield-produced water.
• To investigate the microbial community dynamics and ecological mechanisms involved in pollutant degradation.

Main Methods:

• Construction and operation of an Fe3+-augmented composite bioreactor.
• Assessment of pollutant removal efficiency (oil, suspended solids, COD, polymers).
• High-throughput sequencing for microbial community analysis and metabolic function identification.

Main Results:

• Achieved high removal efficiencies: oil (99.18%), suspended solids (65.81%), chemical oxygen demand (48.63%), and polymers (57.72%).
• Fe3+ supplementation enhanced syntrophic interactions between specific iron-reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea.
• Identified long-chain-fatty-acid CoA ligase as a key enzyme in hydrocarbon degradation and nitrogen cycling.

Conclusions:

• The Fe3+-augmented bioreactor offers an efficient and sustainable solution for oilfield-produced water treatment.
• Understanding microbial interactions is key to optimizing bioreactor performance for recalcitrant pollutant removal.
• This approach demonstrates potential for adaptable management of petroleum industry wastewater.