Immobilized Micro-Organism in Mesoporous Activated Carbon for Treatment of Tannery Waste Water

Abstract

Abstract Chemo-Autotrophic Activated Carbon Oxidation (CAACO) system was used for the treatment of tannery waste water. It employs activated carbon-immobilised sulphate reducing bacteria for the removal of dissolved organics in wastewater under oxidizing environment. The wastewater characteristics such as COD (1689 mg/L), BOD (377 mg/L), sulphate (915 mg/L) and sulphide (184 mg/L) were applied at an hydraulic loading rate of 0.7376 m3/m3/day and surface loading rate of 0.2438 m3/m2/day to CAACO reactor at 30°C and at atmospheric pressure. The removal of COD, BOD, sulphide and sulphate was 87%, 96%, 100% and 40% respectively after 2 hours of oxidation. The oxidation of dissolved organics in wastewater was accomplished by passing air at flow rate 3 L/min and at pressure 0.5 kg/cm2 through CAACO reactor. The effect of variables COD loading, O2/COD, O2/(COD-BODL), COD/S2–, (COD-BODL)/S2– and [(COD-BODL)i–(COD-BODL)e]/S2– on rate and percentage removal of COD from tannery wastewater was determined.