Batch methanogenic fermentation experiments of wastewater from a brown coal low-temperature coke plant.
Coke plant effluents with high contents of organic compounds are mainly treated by biological aerobic fermentation after physical pre-treatment. In this study, a brown coal condensate wastewater from a low temperature coking process was fermented under methanogenic conditions in discontinuous experiments. By this fermentation, acetate, propionate, and the main polyphenolic compounds (catechol, resorcinol and hydroquinone) were degraded to a level below the detection limit. The COD was reduced by 72% with a residual concentration of 2.1 g/L. This anaerobic fermented wastewater had a residual BOD5 of 0.66 g/L and 2.2 L CH4 were formed per litre of wastewater. An abiotic pre-treatment for this wastewater with air had a negative effect on the COD reduction and decrease of colour on the methanogenic fermentation due to the autoxidation of polyphenolic compounds to humic-like compounds. This study showed that methanogenic fermentations in the treatment sequence of brown coal coking wastewaters could reduce energy consumption for aeration in further treatment processes and had the potential for a better effluent quality due to a less formation of recalcitrant humic-like compounds.
Kuschk
Peter
P
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ Permoserstr 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany. peter.kuschk@ufz.de
Stottmeister
Ulrich
U
Liu
Yong-Jun
YJ
Wiessner
Arndt
A
Kästner
Matthias
M
Müller
Roland-Arno
RA
D000388:Air; D003031:Coal; D004736:Energy-Generating Resources; D005285:Fermentation; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism
D003031:Coal; D007220:Industrial Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008697:Methane