title: Integrated catalytic wet air oxidation and aerobic biological treatment in a municipal WWTP of a high-strength o-cresol wastewater.
abstract: This study examines the feasibility of coupling a Catalytic Wet Air Oxidation (CWAO), with activated carbon (AC) as catalyst, and an aerobic biological treatment to treat a high-strength o-cresol wastewater. Two goals are pursued: (a) To determine the effect of the main AC/CWAO intermediates on the activated sludge of a municipal WasteWater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and (b) To demonstrate the feasibility of coupling the AC/CWAO effluent as a part of the influent of a municipal WWTP. In a previous study, a high-strength o-cresol wastewater was treated by AC/CWAO aiming to establish the distribution of intermediates and the biodegradability enhancement. In this work, the biodegradability, toxicity and inhibition of the most relevant intermediates detected in the AC/CWAO effluent were determined by respirometry. Also, the results of a pilot scale municipal WWTP study for an integrated AC/CWAO-aerobic biological treatment of this effluent are presented. The biodegradation parameters (i.e. maximum oxygen uptake rate and oxygen consumption) of main AC/CWAO intermediates allowed the classification of the intermediates into readily biodegradable, inert or toxic/inhibitory compounds. This detailed study, allowed to understand the biodegradability enhancement exhibited by an AC/CWAO effluent and to achieve a successful strategy for coupling the AC/CWAO step with an aerobic biological treatment for a high-strength o-cresol wastewater. Using 30%, as COD, of AC/CWAO effluent in the inlet to the pilot scale WWTP, the integrated AC/CWAO-biological treatment achieved a 98% of total COD removal and, particularly, a 91% of AC/CWAO effluent COD removal without any undesirable effect on the biomass.
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: María Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Suarez-Ojeda
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guisasola
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Baeza
authors.forename: Azael
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabregat
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stüber
authors.forename: Agustí
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fortuny
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Font
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carrera
mesh_terms: D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors; D002384:Catalysis; D002606:Charcoal; D003408:Cresols / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D013030:Spain; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D003408:Cresols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002606:Charcoal; D010100:Oxygen; C034047:2-cresol