An advanced anaerobic biofilter with effluent recirculation for phenol removal and methane production in treatment of coal gasification wastewater

Optimizing carbon sources regulation in the biochemical treatment systems for coal chemical wastewater: Aromatic compounds biodegradation and microbial response strategies

The complex composition of coal chemical wastewater (CCW), marked by numerous highly toxic aromatic compounds, induces the destabilization of the biochemical treatment system, leading to suboptimal treatment efficacy. In this study, a biochemical treatment system was established to efficiently degrade aromatic compounds by quantitatively regulating the dosage of co-metabolized substrates (specifically, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) Glucose: COD Sodium acetate = 3:1, 1:3, and 1:1). The findings demonstrated that the system achieved optimal performance under the condition that the ratio of COD Glucose to COD Sodium acetate was 3:1. When the co-metabolized substrate was added to the system at an optimal ratio, examination of pollutant removal and cumulative effects revealed that the removal efficiencies for COD and total organic carbon (TOC) reached 94.61 % and 86.40 %, respectively. The removal rates of benzene series, nitrogen heterocyclic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and phenols were 100 %, 100 %, 63.58 %, and 94.12 %, respectively. Research on the physiological response of microbial cells showed that, under optimal ratio regulation, co-metabolic substrates led to a substantial rise in microbial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion, particularly extracellular proteins. When the system reached the end of its operation, the contents of loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) and tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) for proteins in the optimal group were 7.12 mg/g-SS and 152.28 mg/g-SS, respectively. Meanwhile, the ratio of α-Helix / (β-Sheet + Random coil) and the proportion of intermolecular interaction forces were also increased in the optimal group. At system completion, the ratio of α-Helix / (β-Sheet + Random coil) reached 0.717 (LB-EPS) and 0.618 (TB-EPS), respectively. Additionally, the proportion of intermolecular interaction forces reached 74.83 % (LB-EPS) and 55.03 % (TB-EPS). An in-depth analysis of the metabolic regulation of microorganisms indicated that the introduction of optimal ratios of co-metabolic substrates contributed to a noteworthy upregulation in the expression of Catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) and Dehydrogenase (DHA). The expression levels of C23O and DHA were measured at 0.029 U/mg Pro·g MLSS and 75.25 mg TF·(g MLSS·h)-1 (peak value), respectively. Correspondingly, enrichment of aromatic compound-degrading bacteria, including Thauera, Saccharimonadales, and Candidatus_Competibacter, occurred, along with the upregulation of associated functional genes such as Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, Catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, Protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase, and Protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase. Considering the intricate system of multiple coexisting aromatic compounds in real CCW, this study not only obtained an optimal ratio for carbon source addition but also enhanced the efficient utilization of carbon sources and improved the capability of the system to effectively degrade aromatic compounds. Additionally, this paper established a theoretical foundation for metabolic regulation and harmless treatment within the biochemical treatment of intricate systems, exemplified by real CCW.

Overview of enhancing biological treatment of coal chemical wastewater: New strategies and future directions

Coal chemical wastewater (CCW) is a type of refractory industrial wastewater, and its treatment has become the main bottleneck restricting the sustainable development of novel coal chemical industry. Biological treatment is considered as an economical, effective and environmentally friendly technology for CCW treatment. However, conventional biological process is difficult to achieve the efficient removal of refractory organics because of CCW with the characteristics of composition complexity and high toxicity. Therefore, seeking the novel enhancement strategy appears to be a favorable solution for enhancing biological treatment efficiency of CCW. This review focuses on presenting a comprehensive picture about the exogenous enhancement strategies for CCW biological treatment. The performance and potential application of exogenous enhancement strategies, including co-metabolic substrate enhancement, biofilm filler enhancement, adsorption material enhancement and conductive mediator enhancement, were expounded. Meanwhile, the enhancing mechanisms of different strategies were comprehensively discussed from a biological perspective. Furthermore, the prospects of enhancement strategies based on the engineering performance, economic cost and environmental impact (3E) evaluation were introduced. And novel enhancement strategy based on "low carbon emissions", "resource recycling" and "water environment security" in the context of carbon neutrality was proposed. Taken together, this review provides technical reference and new direction to facilitate the regulation and optimization of typical industrial wastewater biological treatment.

Efficiency of various biofilm carriers and microbial interactions with substrate in moving bed-biofilm reactor for environmental wastewater treatment

In a moving bed-biofilm reactor (MBBR), the fluidization efficiency, immobilization of microbial cells, and treatment efficiency are directly influenced by the shape and pores of biofilm carriers. Moreover, the efficacy of bioremediation mainly depends on their interaction interface with microbes and substrate. This review aims to comprehend the role of different carrier properties such as material shapes, pores, and surface area on bioremediation productivity. A porous biofilm carrier with surface ridges containing spherical pores sizes > 1 mm can be ideal for maximum efficacy. It provides diverse environments for cell cultures, develops uneven biofilms, and retains various cell sizes and biomass. Moreover, the thickness of biofilm and controlled scaling shows a significant impact on MBBR performance. Therefore, the effect of these parameters in MBBR is discussed detailed in this review, through which existing literature and technical strategies that focus on the surface area as the primary factor can be critically assessed.

A review on biofiltration techniques: Recent advancements in the removal of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals in the treatment of polluted water

Good quality of water determines the healthy life of living beings on this earth. The cleanliness of water was interrupted by the pollutants emerging out of several human activities. Industrialization, urbanization, heavy population, and improper disposal of wastes are found to be the major reasons for the contamination of water. Globally, the inclusion of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals released by manufacturing industries, pharmaceuticals, and petrochemical processes have created environmental issues. The toxic nature of these pollutants has led researchers, scientists, and industries to exhibit concern towards the complete eradication of them. In this scenario, the development of wastewater treatment methodologies at low cost and in an eco-friendly way had gained importance at the international level. Recently, bio-based technologies were considered for environmental remedies. Biofiltration based works have shown a significant result for the removal of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals in the treatment of wastewater. This was done with several biological sources such as bacteria, fungi, algae, plants, yeasts, etc. The biofiltration technique is cost-effective, simple, biocompatible, sustainable, and eco-friendly compared to conventional techniques. This review article provides deep insight into biofiltration technologies engaged in the removal of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals in the wastewater treatment process.

Enhanced phenols removal and methane production with the assistance of graphene under anaerobic co-digestion conditions

Coal gasification wastewater (CGW) contains high concentration phenols which lead to poor anaerobic biodegradability and resource utilization. In this paper, new insights to improve synthetic CGW anaerobic degradation with the help of graphene under co-digestion conditions were investigated. Batch tests showed that with the addition of graphene dosage of 10 g/L and glucose as a co-substrate with chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration of 2000 mg/L, the average COD concentration decreased from 3995 mg/L on day 1 to 983 mg/L on day 12. The average total phenol (TP) concentration decreased from 431 mg/L on day 1 to 23 mg/L on day 12. The cumulative methane production for 12 days was about 200 mL. Long-term experiments showed the average effluent COD and total phenol reached 1137 mg/L and 200 mg/L, respectively. While methane production stabilized at 500 mL/d. In addition, the coenzyme F₄₂₀ concentration increased from 1.075 μmol/g/VSS to 2.3 μmol/g/VSS. The analysis of microbial community structure indicated that the performance of phenols removal and methane production was related to the main microbial flora. The enriched Clostridium, Pseudomonas and species from Firmicutes and Chloroflexi participated in the stages of hydrolysis and acidogenesis. The electrogens Pseudomonas and archaea Methanosaeta were likely the major groups taking part in the direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). The results obtained in this paper provide a theoretical basis for high-efficiency anaerobic degradation of CGW in practical engineering applications.

Enhancing Phenol Conversion Rates in Saline Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor Using Acetate and Butyrate as Additional Carbon and Energy Sources

Phenolic industrial wastewater, such as those from coal gasification, are considered a challenge for conventional anaerobic wastewater treatment systems because of its extreme characteristics such as presence of recalcitrant compounds, high toxicity, and salinity. However, anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) are considered of potential interest since they retain all micro-organism that are required for conversion of the complex organics. In this study, the degradation of phenol as main carbon and energy source (CES) in AnMBRs at high salinity (8.0 g Na⁺⋅L^–1) was evaluated, as well as the effect of acetate and an acetate-butyrate mixture as additional CES on the specific phenol conversion rate and microbial community structure. Three different experiments in two lab-scale (6.5 L) AnMBRs (35°C) were conducted. The first reactor (R1) was fed with phenol as the main CES, the second reactor was fed with phenol and either acetate [2 g COD⋅L^–1], or a 2:1 acetate-butyrate [2 g COD⋅L^–1] mixture as additional CES. Results showed that phenol conversion could not be sustained when phenol was the sole CES. In contrast, when the reactor was fed with acetate or an acetate-butyrate mixture, specific phenol conversion rates of 115 and 210 mgPh⋅gVSS^–1 d^–1, were found, respectively. The syntrophic phenol degrader Syntrophorhabdus sp. and the acetoclastic methanogen Methanosaeta sp. were the dominant bacteria and archaea, respectively, with corresponding relative abundances of up to 63 and 26%. The findings showed that dosage of additional CES allowed the development of a highly active phenol-degrading biomass, potentially improving the treatment of industrial and chemical wastewaters.

Membrane fouling and performance of anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor treating phenol- and quinoline-containing wastewater: granular activated carbon vs polyaluminum chloride

Although anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) has been proposed for the treatment of phenolic wastewater, the membrane fouling is still a major obstacle. The effects of dosing of granular activated carbon (GAC) and polyaluminum chloride (PACl) on the treatment performance and membrane fouling of anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor were investigated for treating phenol- and quinoline-containing wastewater. The results suggested that the one-off dosing of GAC resulted in a decrease of protein/carbohydrate ratio, which might account for the aggravation of membrane fouling alongside with the decreased flocs size. Nevertheless, the substrate uptake rates (SUR) of phenol and quinoline, and the specific methanogenic activity of sludge at the GAC dosing stage of experimental reactor (R1) were 8.79 ± 0.63 mg phenol g^-1 MLVSS d^-1, 7.01 ± 0.09 mg quinoline g^-1 MLVSS d^-1 and 0.27 ± 0.01 g COD_CH4 g^-1 MLVSS d^-1, which were 1.69, 3.59 and 1.93 times higher than that of the control reactor (R2). The dosing of PACl reduced the membrane fouling rate by changing the floc structure of sludge, as well as the component of SMP and EPS. However, the substrate uptake rate of quinoline was declined. This work provides a comprehensive evaluation on the effect of GAC and PACl dosing on membrane fouling and performance of anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor treating phenol-and quinoline-containing wastewater.

Response of treatment performance and microbial community structure to the temporary suspension of an industrial anaerobic bioreactor

In this study, a novel type of mesophilic anaerobic bioreactor-an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB)-was utilized to explore the effect of suspending reactor operation on the treatment performance and the microbial community structure. The parameters of performance and bacterial community before and after a four-week suspension were compared for the starch processing wastewater treatment bioreactor. The results indicate that the removal rate of the organic matter remained higher than 90%, although the biomass significantly decreased after restarting the reactor. However, the relatively stable microbial community structure before the suspension was altered significantly during the restart and post-running stages. This change was primarily due to variability in satellite species and the substitution effect of different dominant bacteria. For example, some non-major carbohydrate-degrading bacteria that were sensitive to nutrition deficiency, such as Desulfovibrio and Geobacter, were dramatically reduced after the suspension. In contrast, the stress of starvation stimulated the reproduction of hydrolytic bacteria, such as Macellibacteroides. However, the high bacterial diversity index (6.12-6.65) and the longstanding core species, including Chloroflexi, Cloacimonetes, Ignavibacteriae, Thermotogae and Euryarchaeota, maintained the functional stability of the reactor. Consequently, although the total bacteria decreased significantly after reactor operation was suspended, sufficient functional bacteria supported by the high diversity, as well as the longstanding core species, guaranteed the effective degradation after suspension.

Microalgae cultivation for phenolic compounds removal

Microalgae are promising sustainable and renewable sources of oils that can be used for biodiesel production. In addition, they contain important compounds, such as proteins and pigments, which have large applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Combining the production of these valuable products with wastewater treatment renders the cultivation of microalgae very attractive and economically feasible. This review paper presents and discusses the current applications of microalgae cultivation for wastewater treatment, particularly for the removal of phenolic compounds. The effects of cultivation conditions on the rate of contaminants removal and biomass productivity, as well as the chemical composition of microalgae cells are also discussed.

The Organic Pollutant Characteristics of Lurgi Coal Gasification Wastewater before and after Ozonation

The effluent of distilled and extracted Lurgi coal gasification wastewater has been found to have low biodegradability and high toxicity, which inhibits further biodegradation. However, ozonation enhances the biodegradability and reduces the toxicity of this effluent, enabling further biological treatment and increased removal of organic materials. In this study, the dissolved organic matters in Lurgi coal gasification wastewater were isolated into six classes by resin adsorbents, after which TOC, UV254, UV-Vis, and 3D EEM were employed to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze organic materials in each part of the fractionated samples. The HoA and HiN fraction accounted for large amounts of the Lurgi coal gasification wastewater, and their TOC values were about 380.21 mg·L−1 and 646.84 mg·L−1, respectively. After ozonation, the TOC removal rates of HoA and HiN reached 42.85% and 67.13%, respectively. The UV254 of HoA was basically stable before and after ozonation, while that of HiN increased continuously because a portion of the humic macromolecular organic materials in HoA was oxidized to HiN. Additionally, UV-Vis analysis revealed that the larger molecular organics of HoA were oxidized during ozonation, resulting in high biodegradability. Finally, the 3D EEM spectra indicated that the macromolecular organics were oxidized to smaller molecules with the degradation of soluble microbial by-products.

Inhibitory effect of high phenol concentration in treating coal gasification wastewater in anaerobic biofilter

In this paper, the inhibition of methanogens by phenol in coal gasification wastewater (CGW) was investigated by both anaerobic toxicity tests and a lab-scale anaerobic biofilter reactor (AF). The anaerobic toxicity tests indicated that keeping the phenol concentration in the influent under 280mg/L could maintain the methanogenic activity. In the AF treating CGW, the result showed that adding glucose solution as co-substrate could be beneficial for the quick start-up of the reactor. The effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phenol reached 1200 and 100mg/L, respectively, and the methane production rate was 175mLCH₄/gCOD/day. However, if the concentration of phenol was increased, the inhibition of anaerobic micro-organisms was irreversible. The threshold of total phenol for AF operation was 200-250mg/L. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and particle size distribution of anaerobic granular sludge in the different stages were also examined, and the results indicated that the influence of toxicity in the system was more serious than its effect on flocculation of EPS. Moreover, the proportion of small size anaerobic granular sludge gradually increased from 10.2% to 34.6%. The results of high through-put sequencing indicated that the abundance of the Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes was inhibited by the toxicity of the CGW, and some shifts in the microbial community were observed at different stages.

Effect of effluent recirculation rate on the performance of anaerobic bio-filter treating coal gasification wastewater under co-digestion conditions

In this study, anaerobic biofilter (AF) was adopted for anaerobic co-digestion of potato starch wastewater (PSW) and coal gasification wastewater (CGW).