Assessment of ceramic rings and k1 biofilter as carriers in phenol and COD removal using SB-MBBR using machine...

This investigation evaluates the performance of a sequencing batch moving bed biofilm reactor (SB-MBBR) employing Ceramic Rings and K1 biofilters as biofilm carriers for the removal of phenol and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from synthetic landfill leachate. The SB-MBBR integrates the operational principles of sequencing batch reactors (SBR) and moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR), operating under aerobic conditions to optimize critical parameters, including contact time, carrier surface area, and filling ratio. The biofilm carriers provided distinct surface areas for microbial colonization, significantly influencing microbial activity and pollutant degradation kinetics. Experimental results demonstrated that phenol and COD removal efficiencies exhibited a logarithmic relationship with increased contact time and carrier surface area. Under optimized conditions, the K1 biofilter achieved maximum removal efficiencies of 94.5% for phenol and 88.7% for COD. Ceramic Rings also exhibited high pollutant removal efficiency, with stable operation at moderate filling ratios. However, excessive carrier concentrations resulted in reduced mixing efficiency, underscoring the necessity of optimizing carrier loading. The study further examined the influence of initial phenol and COD concentrations on biodegradation performance. Elevated initial concentrations led to reduced removal rates due to substrate inhibition, emphasizing the importance of controlled substrate loading. Predictive models, including Random Forest and multiple linear regression, were developed to correlate operational parameters with removal efficiencies, yielding high predictive accuracy. These findings establish the SB-MBBR as a robust and adaptable technology for the treatment of high-strength landfill leachate, providing valuable insights into carrier selection and system optimization for enhanced pollutant removal.