Electrochemical Pretreatment of Wastewater from Bulk Drug Manufacturing Industry

The present study involves the treatment of high strength Bulk Drug Industry Wastewater by electrochemical method. The treatability studies were carried out with four different electrodes made of mild steel, aluminum, carbon, and stainless steel. The treatment efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (COD)/biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), color, and heavy metal removals were assessed at different electrolysis time. A comparative study for heavy metal removal between chemical precipitation using aluminum and electrocoagulation with aluminum electrode has shown electrocoagulation to be more effective. Carbon electrode has shown COD removal of 34.0% and high BOD5f/CODf ratio of 0.581 at 120-min exposure time. Among all electrodes, aluminum was found as the most efficient in removal of color, suspended solids, and heavy metals with the least energy consumption of 95.83?Wh?kg?1?CODr and anode efficiency of 5.76?kg?COD?A?1?m?2?h?1. After electrochemical treatment, certain increase in BOD/COD ratio attributed to increase in biodegradability of wastewater. The study reveals that the wastewater could be effectively pretreated by electrochemical method.     

Effect of Aeration on the Quality of Effluent from UASB Reactor Treating Sewage

The treatment of effluent of pilot- and full-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors operating at steady state was studied in an aeration-settling system. The fine pore submerged diffusers were used to aerate the effluent of UASB reactors under different operating conditions. Forty to 55% of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were achieved by the direct aeration of the UASB effluent in the laboratory. The maximum removal efficiencies were achieved at 30?min hydraulic retention time (HRT) and a dissolved oxygen (DO) of 5–6??mg/L or high KLa (vigorous aeration). Batch experiments on nitrogen purging and the aeration of sulfides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nonpurgeable organic carbons (NPOCs) were performed to ascertain the mechanism of BOD/COD removal. During aeration, BOD and COD were reduced by the stripping of H2S and VOCs and by the chemical oxidation of total sulfides and organic carbon. The stripping and chemical oxidation depended on the HRT and DO. The performance of a full-scale surface aeration system was compared to the performance of a pilot-scale diffused aeration system. Final sedimentation was effective only in removing the solids from the effluent of the aeration system. The results were confirmed by organic mass balance.     

Operational Optimization and Mass Balances in a Two-Stage MBR Treating High Strength Pet Food Wastewater

A two-stage membrane bioreactor (MBR) system was evaluated for the treatment of high strength pet food wastewater characterized by oil and grease, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)5, total suspended solids (TSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), NH4–N, and TP concentrations of 2,800, 25,000, 10,000, 4,500, 1,650, 1,300, and 370?mg/L, respectively, to meet stringent surface discharge criteria of BOD5, TSS, and NH4–N of <10?mg/L, and TP of <1?mg/L. Pretreatment of the dissolved air flotation effluent with FeCl3 at a dose of 3.5?g/L, corresponding to a Fe:P molar ratio of 1.3:1 affected TP, TSS, volatile suspended solids (VSS), COD, BOD5, and TKN reductions of 88, 72, 75, 11, 11, 36, and 17%, respectively. The two-stage MBR operating at a total hydraulic retention time of 5.3?days comprising 2.5?days in the first stage and 2.8?days in the second stage, and solids retention time of 25?days in the first stage consistently met the criteria despite wide variations in influent characteristics. Very high COD and BOD5 removal efficiencies of 97.2 and 99.8% were observed in the first stage, with an observed yield of 0.14?gVSS/gCOD. A modular approach for the quantification of simultaneous nitrification denitrification (SND) in the first-stage MBR was developed and verified experimentally. The model indicated that on average, 21% of the influent nitrogen was removed by SND and predicted nitrogen loss with an accuracy of 72%. Complete nitrification of the residual organic nitrogen and ammonia was achieved in the second-stage MBR.     

2,4,6 Tri-Chlorophenol Containing Wastewater Treatment Using a Hybrid-Loop Bioreactor System

A hybrid-loop bioreactor system consisting of a packed column biofilm and an aerated tank bioreactor with an effluent recycle was used for biological treatment of 2,4,6 tri-chlorophenol (TCP) containing synthetic wastewater. The effects of sludge age (solids retention time) on chemical oxygen demand (COD), TCP, and toxicity removal performance of the system were investigated for sludge ages between 5 and 30?days, while the feed COD (2600±100?mg?L?1), TCP (370±10?mg?L?1), and the hydraulic residence time (25?h) were constant. Percent TCP, COD, and toxicity removals increased with increasing sludge age resulting in nearly complete COD, TCP, and toxicity removal at sludge ages above 20?days. Biomass concentrations in the packed column and in the aeration tank increased with increasing sludge age resulting in low reactor TCP concentrations, and therefore, high TCP, COD, and toxicity removals. More than 95% of COD, TCP, and toxicity removal took place in the packed column reactor. Volumetric rates of TCP and COD removal increased due to increasing biomass and decreasing effluent TCP and COD concentrations with increasing sludge age. The specific rate of TCP removal was maximum (120?mg?TCP?gX?1?day?1) at a sludge age of 20?days. TCP inhibition was eliminated by operation of the system at sludge age above 20?days to obtain nearly complete COD, TCP, and toxicity removal.     

Potential of a Combination of UASB and DHS Reactor as a Novel Sewage Treatment System for Developing Countries: Long-Term Evaluation

A novel municipal wastewater treatment system, consisting of a combination of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) posttreatment unit, was continuously evaluated for more than three years with raw sewage as an influent. The system was installed at a sewage treatment site and operated at 25±3°C. This paper reports on the results of a long term monitoring of the system. The whole experimental period was divided into three distinct phases with different operating conditions. Organic pollutants were only partially removed in anaerobic UASB pretreatment unit. The remaining organics as well as nitrogenous compounds were almost completely removed by the DHS posttreatment unit. In all phases the system demonstrated removal efficiency consistently over 95% for unfiltered biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), 80% for unfiltered-chemical oxygen demand and 70% for suspended solids. The system produced an excellent effluent quality with only 4–9?mg/L of residual unfiltered BOD. Dissolved oxygen in the final effluent was 5–7?mg/L although no aeration was provided to DHS system. Moreover, excess sludge production from DHS was negligible thus eliminating secondary sludge that is troublesome to dispose off. The system also exhibited substantial stability against twofold hydraulic shock load and fourfold organic shock load. The results suggested that the proposed system may be a competitive solution for municipal sewage treatment under variable conditions.     

Biodegradation of Phenol with Wastewater as a Cosubstrate in Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket

Anaerobic degradation of phenol mixed with a readily degradable synthetic wastewater (DSWW) as a cosubstrate was studied in a 12?L upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor at 30±2°C over a period of 632?days. DSWW was prepared by diluting sugar cane based molasses. The biomass was acclimatized to high phenol concentration by gradually decreasing the DSWW chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 4,000?mg/L. Feed made up of phenol COD and DSWW COD in the ratio of 7:3 (phenol concentration = 1,176?mg/L) was successfully treated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12?h and organic loading rate (OLR) of 8?g?COD/L?day. Phenol removal ranged from 99.9 to 84% at phenol COD varying from 10 to 70% in the feed. During the entire operation, COD removal varied from about 74 to 91.3%. The influent COD was distributed into CH4–COD ( ～ 72%), effluent COD ( ～ 17%), and sludge and unaccounted COD ( ～ 11%). The process failure occurred at 4:1 phenol COD: DSWW COD. Specific methanogenic activity of granular sludge exhibited uniform activity up to phenol COD of 70%. The performance of the reactor could not be maintained beyond 70% phenol COD even by reducing the sludge loading rate, increasing HRT, or decreasing OLR.     

Biotransformation of Carbon Tetrachloride and Anaerobic Granulation in a Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor

Carbon tetrachloride (CT) in a synthetic wastewater was effectively degraded in a 2?l upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor during the granulation process by increasing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and CT loadings. The effect of operational parameters such as influent CT concentrations, COD, CT loading, food to mass (F/M) ratio, and specific methanogenic activity (SMA) were also detected during granulation. Over 97% of CT was removed at 37°C, at a COD loading rate of 10?g/L?day. Chemical oxygen demand and CT removal efficiencies of 92 and 88% were achieved when the reactor was operating at CT and COD loading rates of 17.5?mg/L?day and 12.5?g/L?day, respectively. This corresponds to an hydraulic retention time of 0.28?day and an F/M ratio of 0.57?g?COD/g?volatile?suspended?solids?(VSS)?day. In 4?weeks, the seed sludge developed the CT degrading capability that was not very sensitive to shocks. The granular sludge cultivated had a maximum diameter of 2.5?mm and SMA of 1.64?g?COD/g?VSS?day. Glucose biodegradation by CT acclimated anaerobic granules was expressed with competitive inhibition. However the competitive inhibition was not significant since the competitive inhibition coefficient (Ki) was as high as 18.72?mg/L. Kinetic coefficients of k (maximum specific substrate utilization rate), Ks (half velocity coefficient), Y (growth yield coefficient), and b (decay coefficient) were determined as 0.6/day, 1.1?mg/L, 0.23?g?VSS/g glucose-COD, and 0.01/day, respectively, based on growth substrate glucose–COD during CT biotransformation. The CT was treated via biodegradation and this contributed to 89% of the total removal. The removal contributions from biomass adsorption, abiotic transformation, and volatilization were negligible. Adsorption and volatilization accounted for only 0.8 and 0.5% of the total removal, respectively.     

Chemical Oxygen Demand and the Mechanism of Excess Sludge Reduction in an Oxic-Settling-Anaerobic Activated Sludge Process

A modified activated sludge process, called the oxic-settling-anaerobic (OSA) process, achieved effective reduction in excess sludge production. Its key feature is the insertion of a sludge holding tank in the sludge return circuit to provide an anaerobic sludge zone. Our previous studies suggested that such excess sludge reduction might be associated with an increased sludge decay rate and the effective consumption of organic substrates generated during the retention of the thickened sludge in the sludge holding tank under a low oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) at ?250?mV. To confirm this suggestion, we analyzed the chemical oxygen demand (COD) balance in the sludge holding tank through batch experiments to simulate the sludge concentration, ORP level, and retention time in the sludge holding tank. The COD generated from the sludge reduction in the tank was utilized by organic gas (mainly CH4) production, denitrification, sulfate reduction, and phosphorus release, among which the gas production accounted for 50% of the COD utilization. We confirmed that the mechanism of the excess sludge reduction in the OSA process is through enhancement of the sludge decay rate in the anaerobic sludge zone, which increases the soluble COD level, which in turn is mainly transformed into methane gas and carbon dioxide during denitrification.     

Combined System for Biological Removal of Nitrogen and Carbon from a Fish Cannery Wastewater

A combined system composed of three sequentially arranged reactors, anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic reactors, was used to treat the wastewater generated in the tuna cookers of a fish canning factory. These wastewaters are characterized by high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen concentrations. The anaerobic process was performed in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor operated in two steps. During Step I different influent COD concentrations were applied and organic loading rates (OLRs) up to 4 g COD/(L?d) were achieved. During Step II hydraulic retention time (HRT) was varied from 0.5 to 0.8 days while COD concentration in the influent was constant at 6 g COD/L. The OLRs treated were up to 15 g COD/(L?d). When HRTs longer than 0.8 days were used, COD removal percentages of 60% were obtained and these values decreased to 40% for a HRT of 0.5 days. The denitrification process carried out in an upflow anoxic filter was clearly influenced by the amount of carbon source supplied. When available carbon was present, the necessary COD/N ratio for complete denitrification was around 4 and denitrification percentages of 80% were obtained. The nitrification process was successful and was almost unaffected by the presence of organic carbon (0.2–0.8 g TOC/L), with ammonia removal percentages of 100%. Three recycling ratios (R/F) between the denitrification and nitrification reactors were applied at 1, 2, and 2.5. The overall balance of the combined system indicated that COD and N removal percentages of 90% and up to 60%, respectively, were achieved when the R/F ratio was between 2 and 2.5.     

Anaerobic Degradation of Sulfate Laden Organics Employing Different Reactor System Configurations

Anaerobic degradation of sulfate laden organics has been investigated employing bench-scale models of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR), and hybrid ABR (HABR). Results indicated chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal over 65% in all three systems at a COD/SO42? ratio of 8.57–8.59. However, the performance deteriorated at a low COD/SO42? ratio of 6.92–7.05 with a reduction in COD removal to 41–55%. Supplementation of limiting nutrients improved COD removal ( ≈ 94.5%) in an UASB system and indicated nutrient deficiency as a primary cause of poor performance. However, poor COD removal (45.92–56.12%) in ABR and HABR indicated a severe inhibition of microbial consortia by sulfide. This study revealed that system configuration aggravated the problem of sulfide toxicity due to sequential phase separation in ABR and HABR systems at low dissolved sulfide concentration relative to the UASB reactor, a single-phase system. Sulfate removal was over 88% in all three systems.     

UASB Treatment of Tapioca Starch Wastewater

Feasibility of the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process was investigated for the treatment of tapioca starch industry wastewater. After removal of suspended solids by simple gravity settling, starch wastewater was used as a feed. Start-up of a 21.5-L reactor with diluted feed of approximately 3,000 mg∕L chemical oxygen demand (COD) was accomplished in about 6 weeks using seed sludge from an anaerobic pond treating tapioca starch wastewater. By the end of the start-up period, gas productivity of 4–5 m3/m3r?day was obtained. Undiluted supernatant wastewater with a COD concentration of 12,000–24,000 mg∕L was fed during steady-state reactor operation at an organic loading rate of 10–16 kg COD/m3r?day. The upflow velocity was maintained at 0.5 m∕h with a recirculation ratio of 4:1. COD conversion efficiencies >95% and gas productivity of 5–8 m3/m3r?day were obtained. These results indicated that removal of starch solids from wastewater by simple gravity settling was sufficient to obtain satisfactory performance of the UASB process.     

Activated Carbon Addition to an Activated Sludge Model Reactor for Color Removal from a Cotton Textile Processing Wastewater

Color removal from cotton textile processing wastewater by addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) into a lab-scale activated sludge system was examined. The activated sludge system was continuously operated in different sludge ages (SRTs) and hydraulic retention times (HRTs). SRT = 30?d and HRT = 1.6?d operation resulted in up to 36% color removal and 94% COD removal. PAC was added 100, 200, and 400 mg/L into the activated sludge system under these operating conditions. The results indicated that 100 mg/L PAC was sufficient to remove the maximum color measured (up to 50 m?1) from the wastewater. The addition of PAC did not affect chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal significantly. Oxygen uptake rate (OUR) tests were also performed to investigate the microbial activities controlling the system performance. The average OUR was 74.1 mg/L/h without PAC addition while it was 70 mg/L/h with PAC addition. Adsorbable organic halogens of the effluent wastewater decreased from 400 to 50 μg/L with the addition of PAC. Toxicity dilution factor decreased from 2 to 1.5 with the PAC addition into the activated sludge system.     

Experimental Validation of the Static Granular Bed Reactor for Industrial Waste Anaerobic Treatment

The static granular bed reactor (SGBR) is a unique high-rate anaerobic reactor designed to operate in a simple downflow manner, offering high chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies (greater than 90%) resulting from high biomass retention in the system. A study was performed to evaluate the SGBR versus a control system, the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, and to evaluate performance idiosyncrasies of the SGBR and the control. The two reactors were operated at three different hydraulic retention times (HRTs): 8, 16, and 24 h. The reactors treated synthetic wastewater, intended to simulate food industry waste, composed of sucrose and nonfat dry milk. Overall, COD removal was higher for the SGBR than for the UASB reactor. In particular, at a HRT of 8 h, the SGBR achieved a COD removal of 90.7% and the UASB reactor reduced the COD concentration by 77.5%. The UASB reactor’s specific COD loading factor proved rate limiting with values ranging from 0.19 to 0.94?gCOD/(gVS?d) versus 0.11 to 0.34?gCOD/(gVS?d) for the SGBR. A tracer study idealized hydraulics within the two systems, and the results showed minimal dead volume and 4–6% short circuiting for both reactors.     

Low-Strength Wastewater Treatment with Combined Granular Anaerobic and Suspended Aerobic Cultures in Upflow Sludge Blanket Reactors

Combined cultures were developed from anaerobic granular and suspended aerobic cultures in three upflow sludge blanket reactors aerated at 10?mL air/min 4?h/day (R2), every other day (R3), and 24?h/day (R4). The use of combined cultures was found to be advantageous compared to the anaerobic granules for the treatment of low-strength wastewaters. During municipal wastewater treatment at influent 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) concentration of 53–118?mg/L (hydraulic retention time: 0.75?day), combined cultures in R2, R3, and R4 exhibited average BOD5 removal efficiencies of 52, 75, and 76%, respectively. The use of these cultures might be proposed as an alternative for municipal wastewater treatment due to their advantages such as achievement of required discharge standards, prevention of biomass loss/settleability problems unlike activated sludge systems and possible methanogenic activity, as well as high settling characteristics comparable to those of anaerobic granules.     

Treatment of High-Strength Pharmaceutical Wastewater and Removal of Antibiotics in Anaerobic and Aerobic Biological Treatment Processes

Anaerobic and aerobic treatment of high-strength pharmaceutical wastewater was evaluated in this study. A batch test was performed to study the biodegradability of the wastewater, and the result indicated that a combination anaerobic-aerobic treatment system was effective in removing organic matter from the high-strength pharmaceutical wastewater. Based on the batch test, a pilot-scale system composed of an anaerobic baffled reactor followed by a biofilm airlift suspension reactor was designed. At a stable operational period, effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the anaerobic baffled reactor ranged from 1,432 to 2,397?mg/L at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1.25 day, and 979 to 1,749?mg/L at an HRT of 2.5 day, respectively, when influent COD ranged from 9,736 to 19,862?mg/L. As a result, effluent COD of the biofilm airlift suspension reactor varied between 256 and 355?mg/L at HRTs of from 5.0 to 12.5 h. The antibiotics ampicillin and aureomycin, with influent concentrations of 3.2 and 1.0?mg/L, respectively, could be partially degraded in the anaerobic baffled reactor: ampicillin and aureomycin removal efficiencies were 16.4 and 25.9% with an HRT of 1.25 day, and 42.1 and 31.3% with HRT of 2.5 day, respectively. Although effective in COD removal, the biofilm airlift suspension reactor did not display significant antibiotic removal, and the removal efficiencies of the two antibiotics were less than 10%.     

Biodegradation of Mixtures of Phenolic Compounds in an Upward-Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor

The anaerobic biodegradability of mixtures of phenolic compounds was studied under continuous and batch systems. Continuous experiments were carried out in up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactors degrading a mixture of phenol and p-cresol as the main carbon and energy sources. The total chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal above 90% was achieved even at organic loading rates as high as 7 kg COD/m3/day. Batch experiments were conducted with mixtures of phenolic compounds (phenol, p-cresol, and o-cresol) to determine the specific biodegradation rates using unadapted and adapted anaerobic granular sludge. Phenol and p-cresol were mineralized by adapted sludge with rates several orders of magnitude higher than unadapted sludge. Additionally, an UASB reactor was operated with the mixture phenol, p-cresol, and o-cresol. After 54 days of operation, 80% of o-cresol (supplied at 132 mg/L) was eliminated. The phenol biodegradation was not affected by the presence of o-cresol. These results demonstrate that major phenolic components in petrochemical effluents can be biodegraded simultaneously during anaerobic treatment.     

Heavy Metals Removal from Acidic and Saline Soil Leachate Using Either Electrochemical Coagulation or Chemical Precipitation

This study compares electrocoagulation and chemical precipitation for heavy metals removal from acidic soil saline leachate (SSL) at the laboratory pilot scale. The electrocoagulation process was evaluated via an electrolytic cell [12 cm (width)×12 cm (length)×19 cm (depth)] using mild steel electrodes (10 cm width×11 cm high), whereas chemical precipitation was evaluated using either calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] or sodium hydroxide (NaOH). By comparison with chemical precipitation at a pH varying between 7 and 8, electrocoagulation was more effective in removing metals from SSL having a relatively low contamination level (124?mg?Pb/L and 38?mg?Zn/L). For SSL enriched with different heavy metals (each concentration of metals was initially adjusted to 100 mg/L) and treated at a pH lower than 8.5, with the exception of Cd, the residual metal concentrations at the end of the experiments were below the acceptable level recommended for effluent discharge in urban sewage works (less than 4 mg/L of each residual metal concentration was recorded) using electrocoagulation, contrary to chemical precipitation using NaOH (more than 15 mg/L of each residual metal concentration was recorded). By comparison, chemical precipitation using Ca(OH)2 was effective in reducing Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn under the permissive level, but not for Cd and Pb. However, both chemical precipitation processes needed to be operated at higher pH values (around 10.0) to be more effective in reducing metals from SSL and, therefore, required a pH adjustment of the effluent before discharge, whereas electrochemical treatment had a practical advantage of producing an effluent having a pH close to the neutral value and suitable for stream discharge in the receiving water. On the other hand, electrocoagulation was also found to be very efficient for removing Pb from very contaminated solutions (250–2,000 mg?Pb/L). At least 94% of Pb was removed regardless of the initial Pb concentration in the SSL. Electrochemical coagulation involves a total cost varying from 8.67 to 13.00 $/tds, whereas 0.84 to 16.73 $/tds is recorded using chemical precipitation. The cost included only energy consumption, chemicals consumption, and metallic sludge disposal.     

Treatment of Leachate by Aged-Refuse-based Biofilter

Refuse in landfills becomes stabilized or aged, as organic matter in the refuse gradually degrades and as the soluble inorganic substances dissolve during its long-term stabilization process. Within this paper, this process is referred to as mineralization and the resultant stabilized or essentially stabilized refuse is referred to as “aged refuse.” The aged refuse contains a wide spectrum and large quantity of microorganisms, which have a strong decomposition capability for refractory organic matter present in some wastewaters, such as leachate. In this study, aged refuse excavated from two to ten year old closed landfill compartments in Shanghai Refuse Landfill (SRL) was characterized in terms of particulate distribution by screening, and a biofilter consisting of ten year old aged refuse was then used for biofiltration of leachate sampled from the landfill. Typically, 400 kg of screened aged refuse with limiting diameter less than 15 mm was used as biofiltration materials in a round shaped biofilter with 80 cm inner diameter and 80 cm height. Leachate with initial chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and NH3–N concentrations of 3,000–7,000, 540–1,500, and 500–800 mg/L, respectively, was passed through the biofilter. As a result, the corresponding concentrations in the effluent were reduced to lower than 100–350, 10–200, and 10–25 mg/L, respectively, 90–99% removal for these parameters at a hydraulic load of 80–200 L/m3 refuse/day. The color of the effluent became slightly gray, in comparison with the heavy brownish color of the influent. The treatment efficiencies heavily depend on hydraulic load, BOD/COD ratios in the leachate, and preliminary treatment of the aged refuse. A variety of leachates with various BOD/COD ratios was tested. It was found that the effluent deteriorated when BOD/COD ratios were lower than 0.1–0.2. Increase of hydraulic load resulted in a decrease of removal efficiencies. Removal of stone, plastics, and glass, etc., from the aged refuse improved the treatment. A pilot test was conducted at SRL and the experimental results obtained at laboratory scale were verified.     

Treatment of Chlorophenols by UV-Based Processes: Correlation of Oxidation By-Products, Wastewater Parameters, and Toxicity

The aim of the study was to evaluate the toxicity and biodegradability of para-chlorophenol (p-CP) model wastewater when treated by UV and UV/H2O2 processes. We investigated the correlations between the toxicity and the concentration of p-CP and its oxidation by-products, as well as other parameters—summarizing characteristics which potentially indicate hazardous water components, e.g., AOX (adsorbable organic halides), TOC (total organic carbon), and COD and BOD5 (chemical and biochemical oxygen demand). Biodegradability is estimated by the BOD5/COD ratio. The toxic effects were investigated on luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri, determining the EC50 value. The correlation between each data pair was estimated using a statistical approach calculating the Spearman rank coefficients. The biodegradability of the p-CP model wastewater was improved by the UV/H2O2 process; the BOD5/COD ratio increased from 0.37 to 0.73 after a 1-h treatment (F = 1243??mJ?cm-2). According to the calculated Spearman rank coefficient, the highest correlation with toxicity data among all monitored parameters was obtained for hydroquinone and benzoquinone, as by-products of p-CP degradation, as well as for the BOD5/COD ratio.     

Phenol Degradation in a Bipolar Trickle Tower Reactor Using Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode

Electrochemical oxidation of phenol was studied in a bipolar trickle tower reactor using Raschig ring shaped boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes in recirculated batch mode. The model wastewater was prepared with phenol using distilled water. The effects of initial phenol concentration, concentration of Na2SO4 as a supporting electrolyte, current density, flow rate, and initial pH on the removal efficiency were investigated. The removal of phenol of 200?mg/L and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 480?mg/L were achieved with efficiencies of 99.85 and 88.89%, respectively. In the same study, specific energy consumption of 0.676?kWh/g phenol removed was determined at the current density of 5?mA/cm2. On the other hand, for the initial phenol concentration of 500?mg/L and COD of 1,200?mg/L, 99.69 and 90.83% removal efficiencies were obtained at the current density of 5?mA/cm2, respectively. Microtox toxicity tests were performed to investigate the toxicity reduction potential of BDD anodes, and relatively good toxicity reductions were obtained with respect to the initial values. After determining optimum experimental conditions, petroleum refinery wastewater was also studied by monitoring the destruction of phenol and COD. In this study, phenol removal of 99.53% and COD removal of 96.04% were achieved at the current density of 5?mA/cm2. Chemical oxidation studies were also carried out and the results were compared with the electrochemical oxidation studies. According to the whole results, it can be said that Raschig ring shaped BDD anodes exhibited an excellent performance for the degradation of phenol and COD and for the reduction of toxicity.