ABSTRACT
A biological sulphate reduction process, with molasses as an electron donor, was used for the removal of zinc and sulphate from Rayon industrial wastewater. The process involved reduction of sulphate to sulphide under anaerobic conditions. The sulphide-rich effluent was used to remove zinc as zinc sulphide precipitate. The investigation was conducted at pilot scale with real wastewater from the Rayon industry as feed. The effects of sulphate loading rate and temperature of feeding wastewater were evaluated. The experimental results showed that there was no significant difference in sulphide production when the reactor was operated at 50 +/- 2 degrees C and 65 +/- 2 degrees C. Sulphide production was in the range of 500-515 mg L(-1). In addition, an increase in sulphate loading rate from 6.3 +/- 0.7 kg SO4 m(-3) d(-1) to 14.9 +/- 2.4 kg SO4 m(-3) d(-1) resulted in a dramatic decrease in sulphate removal efficiency. Furthermore, zinc sulphide precipitation at pH 7 removed more than 96% of zinc.
Subject(s)
Molasses , Sulfates/chemistry , Sulfates/isolation & purification , Waste Disposal, Fluid/methods , Water Pollutants, Chemical/chemistry , Water Pollutants, Chemical/isolation & purification , Zinc/chemistry , Zinc/isolation & purification , Temperature , Waste Disposal, Fluid/instrumentationABSTRACT
Biological sulfate reduction is widely used for treating sulfate-containing wastewaters from industries such as mining, tannery, pulp and paper, and textiles. In biological reduction, sulfate is converted to hydrogen sulfide as the end product. The process is, therefore, ideally suited for treating metal-containing wastewater from which heavy metals are simultaneously removed through the formation of metal sulfides. Metal sulfide precipitates are more stable than metal hydroxides that are sensitive to pH change. Theoretically, conversion of 1 mol of sulfate requires 0.67 mol of chemical oxygen demand or electron donors. Sulfate rich wastewaters are usually deficient in electron donors and require external addition of electron donors in order to achieve complete sulfate reduction. This paper reviews various electron donors employed in biological sulfate reduction. Widely used electron donors include hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, acetate, lactate, propionate, butyrate, sugar, and molasses. The selection criteria for suitable electron donors are discussed.
Subject(s)
Biodegradation, Environmental , Biotechnology/methods , Electrons , Environmental Restoration and Remediation/methods , Sulfates/chemistry , Biochemistry/methods , Hydrogen/chemistry , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Models, Chemical , Mutagenesis , Sulfides/chemistry , Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria/metabolismABSTRACT
The feasibility of lead removal through biological sulfate reduction process with ethanol as electron donor was investigated. Sulfide-rich effluent from biological process was used to remove lead as lead sulfide precipitate. The experiments were divided into two stages; Stage I startup and operation of sulfidogenic process in a UASB reactor and Stage II lead sulfide precipitation. In Stage I, the COD:S ratio was gradually reduced from 15:1 to 2:1. At the COD:S ratio of 2:1, sulfidogenic condition was achieved as identified by 80-85% of electron flow by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). COD and sulfate removal efficiency were approximately 78% and 50%, respectively. In Stage II, the effluent from UASB reactor containing sulfide in the range of 30-50 mg/L and lead-containing solution of 45-50 mg/L were fed continuously into the precipitation chamber in which the optimum pH for lead sulfide precipitation of 7.5-8.5 was maintained. It was found that lead removal of 85-95% was attained.
