Utilization of moving bed biofilm reactor for industrial wastewater treatment containing ethylene glycol: kinetic and performance study

Environ Technol. 2014 Jan-Feb;35(1-4):499-507. doi: 10.1080/09593330.2013.834947.

Abstract

One of the requirements for environmental engineering, which is currently being considered, is the removal of ethylene glycol (EG) as a hazardous environmental pollutant from industrial wastewater. Therefore, in a recent study, a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) was applied at pilot scale to treat industrial effluents containing different concentrations of EG (600, 800, 1200, and 1800 mg L-1 ). The removal efficiency and kinetic analysis of the system were examined at different hydraulic retention times of 6, 8, 10, and 12 h as well as influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) ranged between values of 1000 and 3000mg L-1. In minimum and maximum COD Loadings, the MBBR showed 95.1% and 60.7% removal efficiencies, while 95.9% and 66.2% EG removal efficiencies were achieved in the lowest and highest EG concentrations. The results of the reactor modelling suggested compliance of the well-known modified Stover-Kincannon model with the system.

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria, Aerobic / metabolism*
  • Biofilms / growth & development*
  • Bioreactors / microbiology*
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Ethylene Glycol / isolation & purification
  • Ethylene Glycol / metabolism*
  • Industrial Waste / prevention & control
  • Kinetics
  • Oxygen / metabolism
  • Wastewater / analysis
  • Wastewater / microbiology*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / isolation & purification
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism*
  • Water Purification / instrumentation*

Substances

  • Industrial Waste
  • Waste Water
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Ethylene Glycol
  • Oxygen