Removal of organic compounds from shale gas flowback water

Andrii Butkovskyi; Ann-Hélène Faber; Yue Wang; Katja Grolle; Roberta Hofman-Caris; Harry Bruning; Annemarie P Van Wezel; Huub H M Rijnaarts

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2018.03.041

Removal of organic compounds from shale gas flowback water

Water Res. 2018 Jul 1:138:47-55. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.03.041. Epub 2018 Mar 15.

Authors

Andrii Butkovskyi¹, Ann-Hélène Faber², Yue Wang³, Katja Grolle³, Roberta Hofman-Caris⁴, Harry Bruning³, Annemarie P Van Wezel², Huub H M Rijnaarts³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: andrii.butkovskyi@ufz.de.
² KWR Watercycle Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands; Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
⁴ KWR Watercycle Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.

PMID: 29573628
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.03.041

Abstract

Ozonation, sorption to granular activated carbon and aerobic degradation were compared as potential treatment methods for removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fractions and selected organic compounds from shale gas flowback water after pre-treatment in dissolved air flotation unit. Flowback water was characterised by high chemical oxygen demand and DOC. Low molecular weight (LMW) acids and neutral compounds were the most abundant organic fractions, corresponding to 47% and 35% of DOC respectively. Ozonation did not change distribution of organic carbon fractions and concentrations of detected individual organic compounds significantly. Sorption to activated carbon targeted removal of individual organic compounds with molecular weight >115 Da, whereas LMW compounds remained largely unaffected. Aerobic degradation was responsible for removal of LMW compounds and partial ammonium removal, whereas formation of intermediates with molecular weight of 200-350 Da was observed. Combination of aerobic degradation for LMW organics removal with adsorption to activated carbon for removal of non-biodegradable organics is proposed to be implemented between pre-treatment (dissolved air floatation) and desalination (thermal or membrane desalination) steps.

Keywords: Aerobic degradation; Dissolved organic carbon; Flowback water; Hydraulic fracturing; Shale gas.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Carbon / chemistry
Charcoal / chemistry
Natural Gas*
Organic Chemicals / chemistry*
Organic Chemicals / metabolism*
Ozone / chemistry
Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
Wastewater / chemistry
Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism*

Substances

Natural Gas
Organic Chemicals
Waste Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Charcoal
Ozone
Carbon