Simultaneous oxidation and reduction treatments of polluted water by a bio-electro reactor

Abstract

Application of a bio-electro reactor for treatment of various kinds of polluted water was investigated experimentally. Aqueous solution of nitrate, ammonium and/or organic matter were used as synthetic polluted water. Denitrification of the nitrate polluted water without organic matter proceeded effectively by utilizing hydrogen gas produced by electrolysis of water in the reactor. The bio-electro reactor was also available for the treatment of nitrate polluted water containing organic matter when the C/N concentration ratio was up to 1.0 under the condition of 100 mA of applied electric current. The nitrate removal efficiency from nitrate polluted water containing acetate at C/N=1.0 was more than 90% at 5 hours of HRT and 80% even at 2.8 h HRT. For the treatment of ammonium polluted water, nitrification and denitrification proceeded simultaneously in a bio-electro reactor where nitrifying and denitrifying microorganisms were immobilized on the electrodes. The results obtained in this study suggested that the bio-electro reactor system was capable to application for oxidation and reduction treatments of the nitrate and ammonium polluted water.