Biological nitrogen, COD and phenol removal in a sequencing batch reactor in synthetic chemical effluent

Abstract

Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) process has been shown to be efficient for the treatment of agroindustrial, chemical, and municipal effluents. The SBR accomplishes equalization, aeration, and clarification in a timed sequence in a single reactor basin. Experiments in a lab-scale SBR were conducted to demonstrate the possibility of joining biological DCO, phenol and nitrogen removal in treating synthetic chemical effluents. For this study, a lab-scale a 2,0 liter reactor was used. Operation conditions were establish to obtain highest removal rates with a well established microbial community with a suspended biomass configuration and operating under aerobic conditions, operating the system for 112 days, using an operating strategy with four combination phases fill, react, settle, draw and idle. Various organic loading rates (1,05 kg COD/m3/d. and 3,18 kg COD/m3/d) were employed. The system worked successfully obtaining removals of nitrogen, COD and phenol of 34.7%, 83.3% y 96,0% respectively, for hydraulic retention times HRT 8 h, setting: 1 h, discontinuous aeration and idle: 0.5 h.

Keywords

• sequencing batch reactor
• biological aerobic treatment
• nitrification
• phenol removal
• synthetic chemical effluent
• denitrification