Application of zero valent iron (ZVI) immobilized in Ca-Alginate beads for C.I. Reactive Red 195 catalytic degradation in an air lift reactor operated with ozone.

The efficiency of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) for the recalcitrant organic pollutants degradation has been frequently reported. However, some disadvantages such as low hydraulic conductivity, rapid passivation and consequent loss of reactivity have motivated researchers to study immobilized forms. In this work, calcium alginate beads incorporated with nZVI were prepared, characterized and applied in a catalytic ozonation system of Reactive Red 195 dye (RR195). In order to avoid shearing the calcium alginate beads, an Air lift reactor operated with Air/O3 cycles in an 8 mg L-1 concentration was used. The RR195 treatability tests conducted with a dye concentration of 25 mg L-1, 50 g L-1 of nZVI-Alg beads and an Air/O3 feed flow of 1 L min-1, revealed significant process efficiency, which was not limited only to the dye discoloration. Total discoloration levels were observed in 30 min of treatment and reductions in 97 % of organic matter in 90 min of treatment, measured through the chemical oxygen demand. The typical absorptions of aromatic compounds reduction (λmax =290 nm) and the acute toxicity reduction (Artemia Saline bioassay), contribute to the Alg-nZVI/O3 system potential for the application in the treatment of liquid effluents contaminated with dyes.

Depth treatment of coal-chemical engineering wastewater by a cost-effective sequential heterogeneous Fenton and biodegradation process.

In this study, a sequential Fe0/H2O2 reaction and biological process was employed as a low-cost depth treatment method to remove recalcitrant compounds from coal-chemical engineering wastewater after regular biological treatment. First of all, a chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color removal efficiency of 66 and 63% was achieved at initial pH of 6.8, 25 mmol L-1 of H2O2, and 2 g L-1 of Fe0 in the Fe0/H2O2 reaction. According to the gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis, the recalcitrant compounds were effectively decomposed into short-chain organic acids such as acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. Although these acids were resistant to the Fe0/H2O2 reaction, they were effectively eliminated in the sequential air lift reactor (ALR) at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 h, resulting in a further decrease of COD and color from 120 to 51 mg L-1 and from 70 to 38 times, respectively. A low operational cost of 0.35 $ m-3 was achieved because pH adjustment and iron-containing sludge disposal could be avoided since a total COD and color removal efficiency of 85 and 79% could be achieved at an original pH of 6.8 by the above sequential process with a ferric ion concentration below 0.8 mg L-1 after the Fe0/H2O2 reaction. It indicated that the above sequential process is a promising and cost-effective method for the depth treatment of coal-chemical engineering wastewaters to satisfy discharge requirements.

Epicoccum nigrum and Cladosporium sp. for the treatment of oily effluent in an air-lift reactor.

The metalworking industry is responsible for one of the most complex and difficult to handle oily effluents. These effluents consist of cutting fluids, which provide refrigeration and purification of metallic pieces in the machining system. When these effluents are biologically treated, is important to do this with autochthonous microorganisms; the use of these microorganisms (bioaugmentation) tends to be more efficient because they are already adapted to the existing pollutants. For this purpose, this study aimed to use two indigenous microorganisms, Epicoccum nigrum and Cladosporium sp. for metalworking effluent treatment using an air-lift reactor; the fungus Aspergillus niger (laboratory strain) was used as a reference microorganism. The original effluent characterization presented considerable pollutant potential. The color of the effluent was 1495 mg Pt/L, and it contained 59 mg/L H2O2, 53 mg/L total phenols, 2.5 mgO2/L dissolved oxygen (DO), and 887 mg/L oil and grease. The COD was 9147 mgO2/L and the chronic toxicity factor was 1667. Following biotreatment, the fungus Epicoccum nigrum was found to be the most efficient in reducing (effective reduction) the majority of the parameters (26% COD, 12% H2O2, 59% total phenols, and 40% oil and grease), while Cladosporium sp. was more efficient in color reduction (77%).

Epicoccum nigrum and Cladosporium sp. for the treatment of oily effluent in an air-lift reactor

The metalworking industry is responsible for one of the most complex and difficult to handle oily effluents. These effluents consist of cutting fluids, which provide refrigeration and purification of metallic pieces in the machining system. When these effluents are biologically treated, is important to do this with autochthonous microorganisms; the use of these microorganisms (bioaugmentation) tends to be more efficient because they are already adapted to the existing pollutants. For this purpose, this study aimed to use two indigenous microorganisms, Epicoccum nigrum and Cladosporium sp. for metalworking effluent treatment using an air-lift reactor; the fungus Aspergillus niger (laboratory strain) was used as a reference microorganism. The original effluent characterization presented considerable pollutant potential. The color of the effluent was 1495 mg Pt/L, and it contained 59 mg/L H2O2, 53 mg/L total phenols, 2.5 mgO2/L dissolved oxygen (DO), and 887 mg/L oil and grease. The COD was 9147 mgO2/L and the chronic toxicity factor was 1667. Following biotreatment, the fungus Epicoccum nigrum was found to be the most efficient in reducing (effective reduction) the majority of the parameters (26% COD, 12% H2O2, 59% total phenols, and 40% oil and grease), while Cladosporium sp. was more efficient in color reduction (77%).

Tratamentos integrados em efluente metal-mecânico: precipitação química e biotratamento em reator do tipo air-lift / Integrated treatments for metalworking effluent: chemistry precipitation and biotreatment in air-lift reactor type

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: realizar a caracterização físico-química de um efluente metal-mecânico e efetuar o tratamento integrado (precipitação química e biotratamento), utilizando micro-organismos autóctones do efluente (FI e FV) e uma referência (A. niger). A caracterização indicou pH de 1,7; cor de 1.495 mg Pt.L-1; demanda química de oxigênio de 9.147 mgO2.L-1; 887 mg.L-1 de óleo e graxa, além de 2,5 mgO2.L-1 de oxigênio dissolvido. Com o tratamento por precipitação química, obteve-se, em pH = 7,5, a redução de todos os íons metálicos investigados. Após o biotratamento, a cor foi reduzida em 95 por cento, utilizando o micro-organismos FV. As reduções da demanda química de oxigênio e de óleo e graxa foram mais significativas utilizando FI, que reduziu os mesmos em 52 e 62 por cento, respectivamente. Estes resultados indicaram que os micro-organismos autóctones do efluente foram mais eficazes no tratamento do mesmo do que o organismo de referência A. niger.

The objectives of this paper were: to perform the physical-chemical characterization of a metalworking effluent and to carry out the integrated treatment (chemical precipitation and biotreatment), using effluent autochthonous microorganisms (FI and FV) and a reference (A. niger). The characterization indicated pH of 1.7; color, 1,495 mg Pt.L-1; chemical oxygen demand, 9,147 mgO2.L-1; oil and grease, 887 mg.L-1, and dissolved oxygen with 2.5 mgO2.L-1. With the chemical precipitation treatment, in pH = 7.5, the reduction of all the investigated metallic ions was obtained. The color was reduced 95 percent after the biotreatment using the FV microorganism. The chemical oxygen demand and oil and grease reductions were more significant when using FI, which reduced the same in 52 and 62 percent, respectively. These results indicated that the autochthonous microorganisms were more efficient in the effluent treatment than the reference organism A. niger.