Combined photo-assisted and biological treatment of industrial oily wastewater

J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng. 2004;39(3):729-40. doi: 10.1081/ese-120027738.

Abstract

In the present study an oily wastewater from the lubricant unit of a petroleum company was evaluated by combining the sequence photo-assisted oxidation-Pseudomonas putida DSM 437. The wastewater contained various alcohols, acids and phenolic compounds. From the above mentioned compounds the biodegradation of ethylene glycol, phenol, o-cresol and p-cresol was examined. The direct biodegradation of the wastewater using P. putida DSM 437 resulted in 85% ethylene glycol assimilation while phenol, o-cresol and p-cresol assimilation was in the range of 27% to 40%. In order to increase the degradation of the phenolic compounds photo-assisted oxidation was applied to the wastewater using UV/ H2O2 its a pretreatment step to biological degradation. Fc(III) were used in order to accelerate the formation of the hydroxyl radicals and consequently the overall photo-oxidation process. The addition of Fe(III) ions resulted in 30% decrease of COD within the first 10 min while the respected value without iron ions was 5%. The combined photo-assisted oxidation and biodegradation of the wastewater resulted in 100% removal of ethylene glycol. The overall degradation of phenol was 78% while the 59% and 84% of the initial o-cresol and p-cresol respectively, were removed from the wastewater. The combined process resulted in 72% of COD removal.

MeSH terms

  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Bioreactors
  • Cresols / chemistry
  • Ethylene Glycol / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / chemistry
  • Oils / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phenol / chemistry
  • Pseudomonas putida / metabolism*
  • Ultraviolet Rays
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical*
  • Water Purification / methods*

Substances

  • Cresols
  • Oils
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • 4-cresol
  • Phenol
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Ethylene Glycol
  • 2-cresol