Removal of perfluorinated surfactants by sorption onto granular activated carbon, zeolite and sludge

Perfluorinated surfactants are emerging pollutants of increasing public health and environmental concern due to recent reports of their world-wide distribution, environmental persistence and bioaccumulation potential. Treatment methods for the removal of anionic perfluorochemical (PFC) surfactants from industrial effluents are needed to minimize the environmental release of these pollutants. Removal of PFC surfactants from aqueous solutions by sorption onto various types of granular activated carbon was investigated. Three anionic PFC surfactants, i.e., perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), were evaluated for the ability to adsorb onto activated carbon. Additionally, the sorptive capacity of zeolites and sludge for PFOS was compared to that of granular activated carbon. Adsorption isotherms were determined at constant ionic strength in a pH 7.2 phosphate buffer at 30 degrees C. Sorption of PFOS onto activated carbon was stronger than PFOA and PFBS, suggesting that the length of the fluorocarbon chain and the nature of the functional group influenced sorption of the anionic surfactants. Among all adsorbents evaluated in this study, activated carbon (Freundlich K(F) values=36.7-60.9) showed the highest affinity for PFOS at low aqueous equilibrium concentrations, followed by the hydrophobic, high-silica zeolite NaY (Si/Al 80, K(F)=31.8), and anaerobic sludge (K(F)=0.95-1.85). Activated carbon also displayed a superior sorptive capacity at high soluble concentrations of the surfactant (up to 80 mg l(-1)). These findings indicate that activated carbon adsorption is a promising treatment technique for the removal of PFOS from dilute aqueous streams.     

可吸附有机卤化物的深度处理实验研究

可吸附有机卤化物（AOX）是人为污染的重要标志之一,北京高碑店污水处理厂二级出水中约90％的AOX为可吸附有机氧化物（AOCl),研究了自氧氧化,粒状活性炭吸附,粉末活性炭吸附3种深度处理工艺对二级出水中AOX的去除作用,臭氧的氧化反应最多可去除约38％的AOX,粒状活性炭床可运行3200床体积,吸附容量为0.14mgAOX/g GH-16型活性炭,投加木质粉末活性炭200mg/L及25mg/L的聚合氯化铝,能去除24．7％的AOX。     

Removal of arsenic from groundwater by micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF)

The removal characteristics of arsenate using micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) were investigated. Among four different cationic surfactants used, hexadecylpyridinium chloride (CPC) showed the highest removal efficiency of arsenic (96%), and the removal efficiency with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was 94%. But the removal efficiency with benzalkonium chloride (BC) was the lowest (57%) due to higher critical micelle concentration (CMC) of BC than those of other surfactants. Over 80% of arsenic was removed with octadecylamine acetate (ODA). On the effect of solution pH on the arsenic removal, since the valance of arsenate decreases from trivalent to monovalent as pH decreases, the removal was reduced at lower pH. The presence of 0.45mM of nitrate and 0.01mM of phosphate reduced the removal efficiency by 5-8%. This decrease was because of the competition between the arsenate, nitrate and phosphate for the binding sites of the surfactant micelle. Similar decrease in the removal of arsenate was observed with CPC, CTAB and ODA in the presence of these anions. In cross-flow filtration, the removal efficiency of arsenic was similar to that in the dead-end system. However, the decline in flux was less than that in dead-end filtration. In order to lower the concentration of the surfactant in the effluent, the effluent was treated with powdered activated carbon (PAC) before discharging to the environment. Over 98% surfactant was removed with 1gl(-1) of PAC. In conclusions, the MEUF is considered as a feasible process using CPC or CTAB to remove the arsenate from groundwater compared with the other solid based adsorbent processes.     

不同深度处理工艺去除污水处理厂出水中氮磷的比较研究

城市污水厂出水直接进入天然水体、或经过深度处理后回用于灌溉、补充景观水体和回灌地下水,均需要进行安全性评价.针对北京市北小河污水处理厂出水经过深度处理后回用于奥运公园的安全性,比较了不同深度处理工艺对营养盐(氮、磷)总量和不同形态的去除效果.研究表明,二级处理本身对氮磷的去除效果十分有限,回用水需经过深度处理.在所研究的生物活性炭吸附、微滤、超滤、反渗透以及上述技术的组合工艺中,使用超滤和反渗透联用的工艺路线对脱氮除磷的效果较为理想,其他工艺对去除氮磷的效果十分有限.     

不同深度处理工艺去除污水处理厂出水中氮磷的比较研究

城市污水厂出水直接进入天然水体、或经过深度处理后回用于灌溉、补充景观水体和回灌地下水,均需要进行安全性评价.针对北京市北小河污水处理厂出水经过深度处理后回用于奥运公园的安全性,比较了不同深度处理工艺对营养盐（氮、磷）总量和不同形态的去除效果.研究表明,二级处理本身对氮磷的去除效果十分有限,回用水需经过深度处理.在所研究的生物活性炭吸附、微滤、超滤、反渗透以及上述技术的组合工艺中,使用超滤和反渗透联用的工艺路线对脱氮除磷的效果较为理想,其他工艺对去除氮磷的效果十分有限.     

低温下膜-生物活性炭工艺深度处理回用水的试验研究

开展低温下膜-生物活性炭工艺深度处理回用水的试验研究，探讨该工艺低温运行的可行性及作用机制。结果表明，采用HRT为3h的膜-生物活性炭反应器对回用水中有机物具有良好的去除效果，CODcr，UV254、UV410的去除率分别稳定在33％、35％、40％；对NH3-N的去除效果不明显，其平均去除率在15％左右，主要受原水浓度过高的影响。同时与其他工艺进行对比研究，结果表明，由于该工艺结合了膜分离、活性炭吸附、生物降解三者的综合作用而表现出明显的优势。     

常用城市污水再生处理工艺净化效果比较分析

以城市污水回用为目的,对常规混凝-沉淀-过滤工艺、臭氧生物活性炭和直接超滤等深度处理技术处理城市污水处理厂二级出水的效果进行了试验研究,对各种工艺的去除效果进行了评价。     

Performance evaluation and application of surface-molecular-imprinted polymer-modified TiO2 nanotubes for the removal of estrogenic chemicals from secondary effluents

The removal of estrogenic chemicals during wastewater reclamation has been a great concern. Current advanced treatment processes are inefficient for the removal of estrogenic chemicals from secondary effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) due to the coexistence of other pollutants with less environmental significance which are also removed simultaneously. The search for highly selective and low-cost removal methods is warranted. Therefore, surface-molecular-imprinted polymer-modified TiO₂ nanotube (S-MIP-TiO₂ NT) photocatalysts were fabricated, characterized, and tested for the removal of estrogenic pollutants from wastewater in this study for the first time. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy studies showed that the TiO₂ NTs (with an average diameter of 60 nm) were successfully imprinted with functional groups (i.e., carboxyl). The adsorption selectivity and photocatalytic activity of the S-MIP-TiO₂ NTs towards template compound (17β-estradiol, E2) were improved, compared with neat TiO₂ NTs. Interestingly, S-MIP-TiO₂ NTs exhibited higher adsorption intensity and photocatalytic selectivity at low concentrations (from 10 ng/L to 100 μg/L, as normal estrogenic chemical concentrations in secondary effluents) of E2 than that at high concentrations (from 10 to 1,000 mg/L). It was also found that some representative estrogenic chemicals and estrogenic activity could be selectively and rapidly removed from secondary effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants using S-MIP-TiO₂ NTs as photocatalysts. In addition, S-MIP-TiO₂ NT photocatalysts exhibited excellent regeneration characteristics. Photocatalytic treatment using S-MIP-TiO₂ NTs could be a promising approach for the effective removal of estrogenic chemicals from secondary effluents of municipal WWTPs.     

褐煤活性炭吸附处理焦化废水

研究褐煤活性炭吸附处理焦化废水的性能,为褐煤活性炭用于废水处理提供理论依据和技术指导。以河南某气化厂的焦化废水为吸附原水,进行褐煤活性炭对酚吸附性能的静态和动态实验。静态实验表明,褐煤活性炭对酚的吸附性能符合弗兰德里希（Freundlich）吸附方程式。在室温条件下,对于150 mL焦化废水,当活性炭的用量为10 g,吸附反应时间为1 h,酚的去除率可达92%以上。动态实验研究表明,当进水酚浓度为3 800 mg/L,吸附1.5 h,活性炭的吸附容量可达21.38 mg/g。水处理的实验研究表明,利用褐煤制备的活性炭,对焦化废水具有良好的处理效果。     

城市污水石灰法深度处理工艺中有毒物质的变化规律

分别采用7-乙氧基异酚恶唑酮-脱乙基酶(EROD)活性测定法,重组人激素受体基因的酵母测试和Q67发光菌试验方法,对北京市某生活污水处理厂的进水、二沉出水以及经过石灰法深度处理后的出水中的类二恶英物质、类雌激素物质和急性毒性物质进行了分析.进水中的三类生物毒性效应物质中的急性毒性物质,可通过活性污泥法基本去除,而对类雌激素物质和类二恶英物质的去除率分别为76%和52%.经过石灰沉淀法的深度处理后,可使上述两类物质的总去除率达到95%和68%.出水中的雌激素当量水平与欧洲国家污水处理厂出水水平相当,而类二恶英物质的总浓度低于美国EPA饮用水中二恶英的最大允许浓度.展示了生物毒性测试方法在排水生态风险和工艺评价方面的应用潜力.     

Model development and application for surfactant biodegradation in an acclimatising activated sludge system

A model for the biodegradation of non-ionic surfactants in an activated sludge system during acclimatisation was developed, based on respirometric and titrimetric experimental data. The data were obtained in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) using a non-ionic surfactant as sole carbon source and sludge previously acclimatised to a different surfactant. The model was successfully applied to successive SBR-cycles of sludge acclimatisation processes subjected to two ethoxylated surfactants. The model was validated using the corresponding total organic carbon data. The evolution of the model parameters along the acclimatisation process was examined. An acclimatisation model was developed using the evolution of two of these parameters (affinity constant and inhibition constant), supported by two independently calculated acclimatisation indicators. This acclimatisation model was then applied to determine an optimal surfactant concentration sequence to feed non-acclimatised sludge during a period of 41 days, in order to induce pre-acclimatisation to this surfactant before it replaces another one in the wastewater. The model was also useful in the economical assessment of this and alternative procedures to cope with frequent changes in activated sludge feed composition.     

Production of sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon for formaldehyde gas removal from potted plants exposure chamber

Agricultural wastes such as rice straw, sugar beet, and sugarcane bagasse have become a critical environmental issue due to growing agriculture demand. This study aimed to investigate the valorization possibility of sugarcane bagasse waste for activated carbon preparation. It also aimed to fully characterize the prepared activated carbon (BET surface area) via scanning electron microscope (SEM) and in terms of surface functional groups to give a basic understanding of its structure and to study the adsorption capacity of the sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon using aqueous methylene blue (MB). The second main objective was to evaluate the performance of sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon for indoor volatile organic compounds removal using the formaldehyde gas (HCHO) as reference model in two potted plants chambers. The first chamber was labeled the polluted chamber (containing formaldehyde gas without activated carbon) and the second was taken as the treated chamber (containing formaldehyde gas with activated carbon). The results indicated that the sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon has a moderate BET surface area (557 m²/g) with total mesoporous volume and microporous volume of 0.310 and 0.273 cm³/g, respectively. The prepared activated carbon had remarkable adsorption capacity for MB. Formaldehyde removal rate was then found to be more than 67% in the treated chamber with the sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon. The plants’ responses for this application as dry weight, chlorophyll contents, and protein concentration were also investigated.

Implications: Preparation of activated carbon from sugarcane bagasse (SCBAC) is a promising approach to produce cheap and efficient adsorbent for gas pollutants removal. It may be also a solution for the agricultural wastes problems in big cities, particularly in Egypt. MB adsorption tests suggest that the SCBAC have high adsorption capacity. Formaldehyde gas removal in the plant chambers indicates that the SCBAC have potential to recover volatile gases. The results confirmed that the activated carbon produced from sugarcane bagasse waste raw materials can be used as an applicable adsorbent for treating a variety of gas pollutants from the indoor environment.     

Removal of phenols from water accompanied with synthesis of organobentonite in one-step process

A novel technology of wastewater treatment was proposed based on simultaneously synthesis of organobentonite and removal of organic pollutants such as phenols from water in one-step, which resulted that both surfactants and organic pollutants were removed from water by bentonite. The effects of contact time, pH and inorganic salt on the removal of phenols were investigated. Kinetic results showed that phenols and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) could be removed by bentonite in 25 min. The removal efficiencies were achieved at 69%, 92% and 99%, respectively, for phenol, p-nitrophenol and beta-naphthol at the initial amount of CTMAB at about 120% cation exchange capacity of bentonite. Better dispersion property and more rapid bentonite sedimentation were observed in the process. The results indicated that the one-step process is an efficient, simple and low cost technology for removal of organic pollutants and cationic surfactants from water. The proposed technology made it possible that bentonite was applied as sorbent for wastewater treatment in industrial scale.     

Removal of two cationic dyes from a textile effluent by filtration-adsorption on wood sawdust

BACKGROUND: Wastewater from textile industry contains various contaminants such as dyes, surfactants and heavy metals. Textile dyes have synthetic origin and complex aromatic molecular structures that make them difficult to biodegrade when discharged in the ecosystem. The objective of this study was to examine the decolourisation of textile effluents containing cationic dyes by filtration-adsorption on wood sawdust from two different origins; fir as an example of a conifer tree, and beech as an example of a deciduous one, and to explain the adsorption mechanism. METHODS: The process of dye removal was applied to a synthetic effluent in batch mode. Adsorption experiments were performed by suspending sawdust in the effluent and analyzing the supernatant by spectrophotometry. The effectiveness of the treatment process was evaluated by measuring coloration. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Experimental results showed a significant potential for wood sawdust, especially coniferous sawdust, to remove cationic dyes from textile effluents. Adsorption kinetics was influenced by the initial dye concentration, nature and amount of sorbent as well as sorbent particle size. The adsorption followed a pseudo first-order kinetics. For both basic dyes, the Langmuir adsorption equation showed a better fit than the Freundlich equation. CONCLUSION: Filtration-adsorption using an inexpensive and readily available biosorbent provided an attractive alternative treatment for dye removal, and it does not generate any secondary pollution. Recommendations and Perspectives. Laboratory studies provide promising perspectives for the utilization of wood sawdust as renewable adsorbent for reducing pollution while enhancing the reuse of textile effluents. However, the treatment process needs to be applied to the other textile dye classes in order to be used on an industrial scale.     

Selective adsorption of phenanthrene dissolved in surfactant solution using activated carbon

Selective adsorption of a hazardous hydrophobic organic compound (HOC) by activated carbon as a means of recovering surfactants after a soil washing process was investigated. As a model system, phenanthrene was selected as a representative HOC and Triton X-100 as a nonionic surfactant. Three activated carbons that differed in size (Darco 20–40 (D20), 12–20 (D12) and 4–12 (D4) mesh sizes) were used in adsorption experiments. Adsorption of surfactant onto activated carbon showed a constant maximum above the critical micelle concentration, which were 0.30, 0.23, 0.15 g g⁻¹ for D20, D12, and D4, respectively. Selectivity for phenanthrene to Triton X-100 was much higher than 1 over a wide range of activated carbon doses (0–6 g l⁻¹) and initial phenanthrene concentrations (10–110 mg l⁻¹). Selectivity generally increased with decreasing particle size, increasing activated carbon dose, and decreasing initial concentration of phenanthrene. The highest selectivity was 74.9, 57.3, and 38.3 for D20, D12, and D4, respectively, at the initial conditions of 10 mg l⁻¹ phenanthrene, 5 g l⁻¹ Triton X-100 and 1 g l⁻¹ activated carbon. In the case of D20 at the same conditions, 86.5% of the initial phenanthrene was removed by sorption and 93.6% of the initial Triton X-100 remained in the solution following the selective adsorption process. The results suggest that the selective adsorption by activated carbon is a good alternative for surfactant recovery in a soil washing process.     

Removal of organic contaminants in bioretention medium amended with activated carbon from sewage sludge

Bioretention, also known as rain garden, allows stormwater to soak into the ground through a soil-based medium, leading to removal of particulate and dissolved pollutants and reduced peak flows. Although soil organic matter (SOM) is efficient at sorbing many pollutants, amending the bioretention medium with highly effective adsorbents has been proposed to optimize pollutant removal and extend bioretention lifetime. The aim of this research was to investigate whether soil amended with activated carbon produced from sewage sludge increases the efficiency to remove hydrophobic organic compounds frequently detected in stormwater, compared to non-amended soil. Three lab-scale columns (520 cm³) were packed with soil (bulk density 1.22 g/cm³); activated carbon (0.5% w/w) was added to two of the columns. During 28 days, synthetic stormwater—ultrapure water spiked with seven hydrophobic organic pollutants and dissolved organic matter in the form of humic acids—was passed through the column beds using upward flow (45 mm/h). Pollutant concentrations in effluent water (collected every 12 h) and polluted soils, as well as desorbed amounts of pollutants from soils were determined using GC-MS. Compared to SOM, the activated carbon exhibited a significantly higher adsorption capacity for tested pollutants. The amended soil was most efficient for removing moderately hydrophobic compounds (log K _ow 4.0–4.4): as little as 0.5% (w/w), carbon addition may extend bioretention medium lifetime by approximately 10–20 years before saturation of these pollutants occurs. The column tests also indicated that released SOM sorb onto activated carbon, which may lead to early saturation of sorption sites on the carbon surface. The desorption test revealed that the pollutants are generally strongly sorbed to the soil particles, indicating low bioavailability and limited biodegradation.

     

臭氧-曝气生物滤池深度处理印染制革园区废水

针对浙江省某印染制革园区污水处理厂二级生化出水,开展了处理规模36~120 t/d的臭氧-曝气生物滤池中试研究,对臭氧预处理进行优化,考察了臭氧预处理优化后与不同填料BAF组合对污染物的去除情况。结果表明,当臭氧预处理条件为投加量25 mg/L,三点投加且投加比为6：3：1,臭氧接触时间为42 min时,处理效果较好且最经济;在此臭氧预处理条件下,臭氧-活性炭BAF的出水COD能稳定在50 mg/L,色度稳定在5度,满足《城镇污水厂污染物排放标准》（GB 18918-2002）中的一级B排放要求;臭氧-混合填料BAF的出水COD和色度也能基本达到一级B排放要求;而臭氧-陶粒BAF出水COD和色度都未能达到一级B排放要求。     

交替缺氧/好氧CAST工艺污染物去除特性

以模拟城市污水为处理对象,采用循环式活性污泥法(CAST)反应器,对交替缺氧/好氧模式下系统去除污染物的性能进行了研究。结果表明,运行期间系统内有机物的去除率稳定,出水COD小于40 mg/L,COD平均去除率为91.7%;NH4+-N、TN的平均去除率分别为83.9%、72.4%,出水TN以NO3--N为主;系统的除磷性能良好,磷酸盐的平均去除率为90.6%。此外,出水COD、TN和TP均达到《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB-18918-2002)的一级A要求。     

Characteristics of biotic and abiotic removals of dissolved organic carbon in wastewater effluents using soil batch reactors.

Biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) analyses and abiotic adsorption of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from different wastewater effluent were conducted to evaluate biotic and abiotic removal mechanisms as a function of the initial DOC concentration and source of DOC using soil batch reactors. To obtain high DOC concentrations, a laboratory-scale reverse osmosis unit was used. It was found that BDOC fraction was independent of the initial DOC concentration and was dependent on the source of wastewater and/or the types of wastewater treatment. The BDOC fractions varied from 9 to 73%. Trickling filter effluent (Tucson, Arizona) showed the highest BDOC, ranging from 65 to 73% biodegradable, while wastewater treated by the soil aquifer treatment (SAT) (NW-4) was found to be most refractory, with DOC removals of 9 to 14%. For nitrified/denitrified tertiary effluent (Mesa, Arizona) and secondary effluent (Scottsdale, Arizona), 36 to 42% removal of DOC was observed during the BDOC test. The amount of BDOC in the wastewater depended not on the concentration of DOC, but on the effectiveness of pretreatment. Abiotic adsorption capacity of wastewater effluent varied from 6 to 18%. Molecular weight distribution analyses showed that more than 50% of DOC in the Scottsdale concentrate had a molecular weight of less than 1000 Da, and no significant change in distribution profiles occurred after approximately 12% abiotic adsorption with both soils with acclimated microorganisms (SAT soil) and soils without acclimated microorganisms (non-SAT soils). Hence, preferential adsorption was not observed and the presence of acclimated microbes did not influence adsorption.     

改性竹活性炭去除汞离子

采用溴化钾、碘化钾和硫磺对竹活性炭掺杂改性,利用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱仪测定滤液中汞离子浓度,用除汞效率和吸附容量评价活性炭对溶液中汞离子的吸附性能,探讨其吸附机理。结果表明,掺杂改性明显提高了竹活性炭的除汞性能。原竹活性炭的除汞效率为78.6%,吸附容量为2.210 mg/g;经碘化钾、溴化钾和硫磺掺杂改性后的竹活性炭除汞效率分别为94.3%、93.8%和88.8%,吸附容量分别为2.830、2.813和2.663 mg/g;经溴化钾(碘化钾)和硫磺联合改性的竹活性炭对水溶液中汞离子的吸附性能性能又有提高,其中以先载硫后载溴化钾的方法除汞效果最好,除汞效率达96.6%,吸附容量为2.898 mg/g。