title: Multivariate analysis of a biologically activated carbon (BAC) system and its efficiency for removing PAHs and aliphatic hydrocarbons from wastewater polluted with petroleum products.
abstract: The efficiency of a biologically activated carbon system for treating wastewater polluted with petroleum products was examined and the effects of process parameters on its efficacy were evaluated. In each experiment 17 alkylated and 19 non-alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs, C(10)-C(40)) were extracted using semipermeable membrane devices from wastewater before and after treatment. The acquired data during experiments were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The treatment system robustly removed dissolved PAHs across the studied ranges of the process parameters, providing overall removal efficiencies of 96.9-99.7% for the sum of 36 PAHs. However, the major contributor to their removal was sorption rather than biodegradation, and despite the general efficiency of the process there was up to a 9-fold range in the sums of quantified PAHs in the effluents between experiments. Combinations of long process contact time (24 h) with high temperature (24 degrees C) and moderate oxygen concentration (6-7 mg O(2) L(-1)) resulted in good removal of bioavailable PAHs. The removal of TPHs was more dependent on biological activities during the wastewater treatment, and consequently more dependent on the process parameters. In addition, small but significant proportions of PAHs were volatilized and released during the wastewater treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden. Lijana.Augulyte@chem.umu.se
authors.forename: Lijana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Augulyte
authors.forename: Daina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kliaugaite
authors.forename: Viktoras
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Racys
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jankunaite
authors.forename: Audrone
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaliauskiene
authors.forename: Per-Anders
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bergqvist
authors.forename: Patrik L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002244:Carbon