title: Low-energy treatment of colourant wastes using sponge biofilters for the personal care product industry.
abstract: Four trickling biofilter designs were assessed as low-energy alternatives to aerobic activated sludge (AS) for the treatment of personal care product industry wastes. The designs included partially submerged packed-media and sponge reactors with and without active aeration. Partial submergence was used to reduce active aeration needs. Simulated colourant wastes (up to COD=12,480 mg/L, TN=128 mg/L) were treated for 201 days, including wastes with elevated oxidant levels. COD and TN removal efficiencies were always >79% and >30% (even without aeration). However, aerated sponge reactors consistently had the highest removal efficiencies, especially for TN (∼60%), and were most tolerant of elevated oxidants. This study shows sponge biofilters have great potential for treating colourant wastes because they achieve high treatment efficiencies and reduce energy use by >40% relative to AS systems.
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Ahammad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zealand
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dolfing
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D003116:Color; D006200:Hair Color; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D014462:Ultrafiltration / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D011140:Polyurethanes; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical