Decolorization of reactive azo dyes using a sequential chemical and activated sludge treatment

Ultra-thin Nb2O5 nanosheets construct 3D cross-linked architecture: Unraveling new coccine degradation pathways and toxicity changes

Photocatalytic technology offers a promising approach to address environmental and health challenges posed by the food colorant new coccine (NC). Nb2O5 is a notable candidate due to its stability and environmental compatibility, but faces limitations such as limited active sites and rapid charge carrier recombination. In the present study, we report a novel Nb2O5 catalyst featuring a three-dimensional (3D) cross-linked architecture constructed from ultra-thin nanosheets, with a catalyst thickness of less than 2 nm. This innovative structure offers an eminent superficial surface area combined with a substantial abundance of active sites, making it an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of NC. The Nb2O5 3D catalyst demonstrated a remarkable degradation rate of 90.1 % for NC within just 30 min, accompanied by a rate constant of 73.5 × 10-3 min-1. This performance significantly surpasses that of three alternative Nb2O5 catalysts with varying morphologies (nanorods, nanoparticles, and nanospheres), which show rate constants more than seven times lower. Furthermore, we explore the degradation pathways associated with NC and provide a thorough examination of the toxicity changes occurring in its by-products. This work presents a promising framework for the development of advanced catalysts capable of effectively degrading NC, thereby contributing to the advancement of environmentally sustainable practices in the management of food colorants.

A review on co-metabolic degradation of organic micropollutants during anaerobic digestion: Linkages between functional groups and digestion stages

The emerging presence of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in water bodies produced by human activities is a source of growing concern due to their environmental and health issues. Biodegradation is a widely employed treatment method for OMPs in wastewater owing to its high efficiency and low operational cost. Compared to aerobic degradation, anaerobic degradation has numerous advantages, including energy efficiency and superior performance for certain recalcitrant compounds. Nonetheless, the low influent concentrations of OMPs in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and their toxicity make it difficult to support the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, co-metabolism is a promising mechanism for OMP biodegradation in which co-substrates are added as carbon and energy sources and stimulate increased metabolic activity. Functional microorganisms and enzymes exhibit significant variations at each stage of anaerobic digestion affecting the environment for the degradation of OMPs with different structural properties, as these factors substantially influence OMPs' biodegradability and transformation pathways. However, there is a paucity of literature reviews that explicate the correlations between OMPs' chemical structure and specific metabolic conditions. This study provides a comprehensive review of the co-metabolic processes which are favored by each stage of anaerobic digestion and attempts to link various functional groups to their favorable degradation pathways. Furthermore, potential co-metabolic processes and strategies that can enhance co-digestion are also identified, providing directions for future research.

Microalgal and activated sludge processing for biodegradation of textile dyes

The textile industry contributes substantially to water pollution. To investigate bioremediation of dye-containing wastewater, the decolorization and biotransformation of three textile azo dyes, Red HE8B, Reactive Green 27, and Acid Blue 29, were considered using an integrated remediation approach involving the microalga Chlamydomonas mexicana and activated sludge (ACS). At a 5 mg L-1 dye concentration, using C. mexicana and ACS alone, decolorization percentages of 39%-64% and 52%-54%, respectively, were obtained. In comparison, decolorization percentages of 75%-79% were obtained using a consortium of C. mexicana and ACS. The same trend was observed for the decolorization of dyes at higher concentrations, but the potential for decolorization was low. The toxic azo dyes adversely affect the growth of microalgae and at high concentration 50 mg L-1 the growth rate inhibited to 50-60% as compared to the control. The natural textile wastewater was also treated with the same pattern and got promising results of decolorization (90%). Moreover, the removal of BOD (82%), COD (72%), TN (64%), and TP (63%) was observed with the consortium. The HPLC and GC-MS confirm dye biotransformation, revealing the emergence of new peaks and the generation of multiple metabolites with more superficial structures, such as N-hydroxy-aniline, naphthalene-1-ol, and sodium hydroxy naphthalene. This analysis demonstrates the potential of the C. mexicana and ACS consortium for efficient, eco-friendly bioremediation of textile azo dyes.

Molecular characterization of azoreductase and its potential for the decolorization of Remazol Red R and Acid Blue 29

Azoreductase is a reductive enzyme that efficiently biotransformed textile azo dyes. This study demonstrated the heterologous overexpression of the azoreductase gene in Escherichia coli for the effective degradation of Remazol Red-R and Acid-Blue 29 dyes. The AzK gene of Klebsiella pneumoniae encoding a ≈22 kDa azoreductase enzyme was cloned into the pET21+C expression vector. The inoculum size of 1.5%, IPTG concentration of 0.5 mM, and incubation time of 6 h were optimized by response surface methodology a statistical tool. The crude extract showed 76% and 74%, while the purified enzyme achieved 94% and 93% decolorization of RRR and AB-29, respectively in 0.3 h. The reaction kinetics showed that RRR had a Km and Vmax value of 0.058 mM and 1416 U mg-1, respectively at an NADH concentration of 10 mM. HPLC and GC-MS analyses showed that RRR was effectively bio-transformed by azoreductase to 2-[3-(hydroxy-amino) benzene-1-sulfonyl and AB-29 to aniline and 3-nitrosoaniline. This study explored the potential of recombinant azoreductase isolated from K. pneumoniae in the degradation of toxic textile azo dyes into less toxic metabolites.

Mesoporous Activated Carbon from Leaf Sheath Date Palm Fibers by Microwave-Assisted Phosphoric Acid Activation for Efficient Dye Adsorption

Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) is a common dye used in the industry, and its presence in wastewater and discharge into the environment can create a serious concern for the ecosystem and human health. Activated carbon produced from crop residues has emerged as a promising technique for removing contaminants from wastewater. In this study, leaf sheath date palm fiber-based activated carbon (LSDAC) was synthesized via phosphoric acid, H₃PO₄, treatment, followed by a microwave-induced carbonization process. The produced LSDAC was found to have a BET surface area of 604.61 m²/g, a Langmuir surface area of 922.05 m²/g, a total pore volume of 0.35 cm³/g, and an average pore size of 2.75 nm. The highest removal of RBBR was achieved at a solution pH of 3 (92.56 mg/g) and a solution temperature of 50 °C (90.37 mg/g). Adsorption of RBBR onto LSDAC followed the Langmuir isotherm model with a maximum monolayer capacity, Q _m, of 243.43 mg/g, whereas in terms of kinetics, this adsorption system was best described by the pseudo-first-order (PFO) model. The calculated thermodynamic parameters ΔH°, ΔS°, ΔG°, and Arrhenius activation energy, E _a, were 4.71 kJ/mol, 0.10 kJ/mol·K, -26.25 kJ/mol, and 5.88 kJ/mol, respectively, indicating that the adsorption of RBBR onto LSDAC was endothermic in nature, exhibited increased randomness at the solid-liquid interface, and was spontaneous and controlled by physisorption.

Evaluation of Zn Adenine-Based Bio-MOF for Efficient Remediation of Different Types of Dyes

As an eco-friendly material, Zn-adeninate bio-metal-organic framework (bio-MOF) was investigated as an efficient adsorbent for both anionic and cationic dyes. The adsorption capability of the synthesized Zn-adeninate bio-MOF was confirmed by its notable surface area of 52.62 m2 g−1 and total pore volume of 0.183 cm3 g−1. The bio-MOF adsorption profiles of anionic direct red 81 (DR-81) and cationic methylene blue (MB) dyes were investigated under different operating parameters. The optimum dosages of Zn-adeninate bio-MOF were 0.5 g L−1 and 1 g L−1 for MB and DR-81 decolorization, respectively. The pHPZC of Zn-adeninate bio-MOF was 7.2, and maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was 132.15 mg g–1 for MB, which decreased to 82.54 mg g–1 for DR-81 dye. Thermodynamic data indicated the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the decolorization processes. Additionally, the adsorption processes were in agreement with the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The synthesized Zn-adeninate bio-MOF could be reused several times with high decolorization ability. These findings demonstrated that the synthesized Zn bio-MOF is an effective and promising adsorbent material for the removal of both cationic and anionic dyes from polluted water.

Highly Efficient and Rapid Removal of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solution Using Folic Acid-Conjugated Dendritic Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Dendritic Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles (DMSNs) are considered superior in the adsorption of unfavorable chemical compounds and biological pollutants. Herein, we have synthesized folic acid-terminated dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (FA-DMSN) for the removal of cationic dyes, methylene blue (MB), from aqueous solutions. The structural, morphological, functional, specific surface area, pore size distribution, and thermal properties of the synthesized DMSNs were identified using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET), and Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA). The synthesized DMSNs exhibited a high surface area (521 m2 −1) and pore volume (1.2 cm3 g−1). In addition, it features both wide pore size and narrow distributions, which strongly affect the adsorption performance in terms of the equilibrium uptake time. Moreover, the impact of pH, contacting time, and dye’s initial concentration on the removal efficiency of MB was studied. The extraction efficiency of FA-DMSN was found to be three times more effective than the bare DMSN materials. Langmuir isotherm fitted the experimental data very well with a correlation coefficient value of 0.99. According to the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacity was 90.7 mg/g. Furthermore, the intra−particle diffusion model revealed a significantly fast intra-particle diffusion which can be attributed to the presence of the large pore’s channels. Finally, the fast adsorption of MB molecules, reaching their equilibrium capacity within tens of seconds, as well as the low cost and ease of FA-DMSN fabrication, makes the developed material an effective adsorbent for water remediations.

Comparison of reactive azo dye removal with UV/H2O2, UV/S2O82- and UV/HSO5- processes in aqueous solutions

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are an effective choice for removal of reactive azo dyes used in the textile industry due to high solubility and low degradability. Within the scope of this study, reactive orange 122 (RO122) azo dye was removed using the UV-based AOPs of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, UV/hydrogen peroxide (UV/H₂O₂), UV/persulfate (UV/S₂O₈^2-), and UV/peroxymonosulfate (UV/HSO₅^-). Oxidant concentration, initial solution pH, initial RO122 concentration, different anions (Cl^-, NO₃^- and SO₄^2-), and solution temperature effects were compared. With only UV radiation (254 nm), 19.5% RO122 removal occurred at the end of 120 min. The RO122 removal reduced with the UV/oxidant processes at pH 9. Experimental results revealed RO122 removal followed pseudo-first-order (PFO) kinetics. There was a linear correlation identified between initial oxidant concentration and the PFO kinetic rate constant (k₁). Among the three UV-based processes, with oxidant concentration 50 mg/L, temperature 20 °C, and pH 5, RO122 removal efficiency was in the order UV/H₂O₂ > UV/HSO₅^- > UV/S₂O₈^2-. RO122 removal rate increased as initial oxidant concentration and temperature increased and reduced as initial RO122 concentration increased. Energy requirements and oxidant costs were assessed. The UV/H₂O₂ process was concluded to be the most efficient and economic process for RO122 removal.

Pulicaria undulata Extract-Mediated Eco-Friendly Preparation of TiO2 Nanoparticles for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue and Methyl Orange

Eco-friendly approaches for the preparation of nanomaterials have recently attracted considerable attention of scientific community due to rising environmental distresses. The aim of the current study is to prepare titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles (NPs) using an eco-friendly approach and investigate their performance for the photocatalytic degradation of hazardous organic dyes. For this, TiO₂ NPs were prepared by using the aqueous extract of the Pulicaria undulata (L.) plant in a single step at room temperature. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy established the presence of both titanium and oxygen in the sample. X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of crystalline, anatase-phase TiO₂ NPs. On the other hand, transmission election microscopy confirmed the formation of spherical shaped NPs. The presence of residual phytomolecules as capping/stabilization agents is confirmed by UV-vis analysis and Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy. Indeed, in the presence of P. undulata, the anatase phase of TiO₂ is stabilized at a significantly lower temperature (100 °C) without using any external stabilizing agent. The green synthesized TiO₂ NPs were used to investigate their potential for the photocatalytic degradation of hazardous organic dyes including methylene blue and methyl orange under UV-visible light irradiation. Due to the small size and high dispersion of NPs, almost complete degradation (∼95%) was achieved in a short period of time (between 1 and 2 h). No significant difference in the photocatalytic activity of the TiO₂ NPs was observed even after repeated use (three times) of the photocatalyst. Overall, the green synthesized TiO₂ NPs exhibited considerable potential for fast and eco-friendly removal of harmful organic dyes.

Homogeneous photocatalytic degradation of azo dye Reactive Black 5 using Fe(III) ions under visible light

Efficient and cost-effective method to destroy complex dyes is warranted to combat increasing water pollution. In the present study, homogeneous photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dye was studied using ferric ions (Fe(III)) under visible light (VL) irradiation and sunlight (SL). In the presence of 5 mM ferric ions and at pH 2.6, more than 80% of initial 20 mg/L RB5 was decolourized in 60 min under artificial VL. Decolourization followed pseudo first-order kinetics with the reaction rate constant 0.0356 min^-1. 79% of initial COD was removed at the end of 60 min, suggesting mineralization of RB5 as the main cause of decolourization. Using similar experimental conditions under SL, more than 90% RB5 was decolourized in 15 min with an almost 10-fold increase in the reaction rate constant (0.34 min^-1). Rate and extent of RB5 destruction significantly decreased in the presence of •OH scavenger indicating photoreduction of Fe-hydroxo species and generation of •OH as the main mechanism of RB5 degradation. RB5 removal increased from ca. 30% to 84% with the increase in Fe(III) concentration from 0.5 to 5 mM. The corresponding 1st-order rate constants increased linearly from 0.006 to 0.036 min^-1. RB5 degradation decreased linearly (R² = 0.98) from 91.7% to 63.3% with the increase in initial RB5 concentration from 10 to 40 mg/L. Fe(III) induced homogenous PCO appears to be a reliable and low-cost method of advanced oxidation without the need for costly reagent such as H₂O₂.

Biogenic sulfide for azo dye decolorization from textile dyeing wastewater

Azo dye is the most versatile class of dyes used in the textile industry. Although the sulfidogenic process shows superiority in the removal of azo dye, the role of biogenic sulfide produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the decolorization of azo dye is unclear. This study explored the mechanism of biogenic sulfide for removal of a model azo dye (Direct Red 81 (DR 81)) through biotic and abiotic batch tests with analysis of intermediates of the azo dye degradation. The results showed that biogenic sulfide produced from sulfate reduction directly cleaved two groups of azo bond (-NN-), thereby achieving decolorization. Moreover, the decolorization rate was enhanced by nearly 3-fold (up to 42 ± 1 mg/L-hr; removal efficiency > 99%) by adding an external carbon source or elevating the initial azo dye concentration. This study showed that biogenic sulfide plays an essential role in azo dye decolorization and provides a new avenue for the potential application of biogenic sulfide from the sulfidogenic system for the treatment of azo dye-laden wastewater.

Biodegradation of azo dye-containing wastewater by activated sludge: a critical review

The effluent from the textile industry is a complex mixture of recalcitrant molecules that can harm the environment and human health. Biological treatments are usually applied for this wastewater, particularly activated sludge, due to its high efficiency, and low implementation and operation costs. However, the activated sludge microbiome is rarely well-known. In general, activated sludges are composed of Acidobacteria, Bacillus, Clostridium, Pseudomonas, Proteobacteria, and Streptococcus, in which Bacillus and Pseudomonas are highlighted for bacterial dye degradation. Consequently, the process is not carried out under optimum conditions (treatment yield). Therefore, this review aims to contextualize the potential environmental impacts of azo dye-containing wastewater from the textile industry, including toxicity, activated sludge microbiome identification, in particular using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as a novel, rapid and accurate strategy for the identification of activated sludge microbiome (potential to enhance treatment yield).

Degradation of simulated Direct Orange-S (DO-S) textile effluent using nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet

One of the major environmental issues of textile industries is the discharge of large quantities of textile effluents, which are source of contamination of water bodies on surface of earth and quality of groundwater. The effluents are toxic, non-biodegradable, carcinogenic and prodigious threats to human and aquatic creatures. Since textile effluents can be treated efficiently and effectively by various advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Among the various AOPs, cold atmospheric pressure plasma is a promising method among many prominent techniques available to treat the effluents. In this paper, we report about the degradation of simulated effluent, namely Direct Orange-S (DO-S) aqueous solution, using nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet. The plasma treatment of DO-S aqueous solution was carried out as a function of various operating parameters such as potential and treatment time. The change in properties of treated DO-S dye was investigated by means of various analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography, UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and determination of total organic content (TOC). The reactive species present in the samples were identified using optical emission spectrometry (OES). OES results confirmed that the formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species during the plasma treatment in the liquid surface was responsible for dye oxidation and degradation. Degradation efficiency, as monitored by color removal efficiency, of 96% could be achieved after 1 h of treatment. Concurrently, the TOC values were found to decrease with plasma treatment, implying that the plasma treatment process enhanced the non-toxicity nature of DO-S aqueous solution. Toxicity of the untreated and plasma-treated dye solution samples was studied using Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus (S. aureus) organisms, which demonstrated that the plasma-treated dye solution was non-toxic in nature compared with untreated one.

Preparation of Acid- and Alkali-Modified Biochar for Removal of Methylene Blue Pigment

Walnut shell biochar (WSC) and wood powder biochar (WPC) prepared using the limited oxygen pyrolysis process were used as raw materials, and ZnCl₂, KOH, H₂SO₄, and H₃PO₄ were used to modify them. The evaluation of the liquid-phase adsorption performance using methylene blue (MB) as a pigment model showed that modified biochar prepared from both biomasses had a mesoporous structure, and the pore size of WSC was larger than that of WPC. However, the alkaline modified was more conducive to the formation of pores in the biomass-modified biochar materials; KOH treatment resulted in the highest modified biochar-specific surface area. The isothermal adsorption of MB by the two biomass pyrolysis charcoals conformed to the Freundlich equation, and the adsorption process conformed to the quasi-second-order kinetic equation, which is mainly physical adsorption. The large number of oxygen-containing functional groups on the particle surface provided more adsorption sites for MB adsorption, which was beneficial to the adsorption reactions. The adsorption effects of woody biomass were obviously higher than that of shell biomass, and the adsorption capacities of the two raw materials' pyrolysis charcoal were in the order of WPC > WSC. The adsorption effects of different treatment reagents on MB were in the order ZnCl₂ > KOH > H₃PO₄ > H₂SO₄. The maximum adsorption capacities of the two biomass treatments were 850.9 mg/g for WPC with ZnCl₂ treatment and 701.3 mg/g for WSC with KOH treatment.

GPCC catalyzed hydrogen peroxide for decolorization of C.I. Reactive Red 24 from simulated dyeing wastewater

A kind of gelatin protein copper complex (GPCC for short) was synthesized by us. GPCC acting as catalyst was applied to catalyzed hydrogen peroxide for decolorization of C.I. Reactive Red 24 from simulated dyeing wastewater. The influence of catalyzed hydrogen peroxide by GPCC on the decolorization of C.I. Reactive Red 24 from simulated dyeing wastewater was discussed. The optimum decolorization technology condition was optimized. And the effect of salt on decolorization of C.I. Reactive Red 24 in this catalytic system was also investigated. The results showed that hydrogen peroxide can be catalyzed by GPCC. In the catalytic system, the structure of C.I. Reactive Red 24 can be degraded and a high decolorization rate can be obtained in a wide pH range. In addition, the decolorization percentage and decolorization rate will be further improved when salt is present in the catalytic system.

Biological treatment of non-biodegradable azo-dye enhanced by zero-valent iron (ZVI) pre-treatment

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) pre-treatment in sequential strategy for removal of non-biodegradable azo-dye Orange II by activated-sludge was quantitatively examined. The decolorization and TOC (total organic carbon) removal of Orange II by ZVI pre-treatment were examined in the ranges of pH from 3 to 11 and ZVI dosage from 500 to 2000 mgL^-1. While the decolorization was enhanced with decreasing pH and the optimal pH for decolorization was found at pH 3, the TOC removal rate at pH 3 remained at 22.2% and the maximum TOC removal rate of 78.2% was obtained at pH 4. The decolorization and TOC removal of Orange II were monotonously increased with increasing ZVI dosage. To quantify the ZVI pre-treatment, the contributions of redox degradation, complexation/precipitation and adsorption to TOC removal by ZVI were defined. Novel kinetic models for the ZVI pre-treatment and activated-sludge post-treatment were developed. The proposed kinetic models satisfactorily predicted the transitional behaviors of the ZVI pre-treatment and activated-sludge post-treatment and the contributions of redox degradation, complexation/precipitation and adsorption to TOC removal by the ZVI pre-treatment. The complete removal of non-biodegradable azo-dye Orange II of 300 mgL^-1 was accomplished by 78.2% removal after 360 min ZVI pre-treatment with the ZVI dosage of 1000 mgL^-1 at pH 4 and subsequently 21.8% removal after 480 min activated-sludge post-treatment. The ZVI pre-treatment integrated with activated-sludge post-treatment was proved to be an effective strategy for treating non-biodegradable pollutants.

Hybrid UV/COP advanced oxidation process using ZnO as a catalyst immobilized on a stone surface for degradation of acid red 18 dye

Azo dyes are the largest group of synthetic organic dyes which containing the linkage C-N[bond, double bond]N-C and used in various industries such as textile industries leather articles, and some foods. Azo dyes are resistant compounds against the biodegradation processes. The purpose of this research was hybrid UV/COP advanced oxidation process using ZnO as a catalyst immobilized on a stone surface for degradation of acid red 18 (AR18) Dye. In the hybrid process using some parameters such as the dye initial concentration, pH, contact time and catalyst concentration, the process efficiency was investigated. In order to the dye removal, the sole ozonation process (SOP), catalytic ozonation process (COP) and photocatalytic process (UV/ZnO) were used. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM analyses.  The maximum dye removal was achieved 97% at the dye initial concentration 25 mg/L, catalyst concentration 3 g/L, contact time 40 min and pH 5. As a real sample, the Yazdbaf textile factory wastewater was selected. After that, the physicochemical quality was evaluated. As well as, in the optimal conditions, the AR18 dye removal efficiency was achieved 65%. The kinetic results demonstrated that the degradation reaction was fitted by pseudo-first-order kinetic. The UV/COP hybrid process had high efficiency for removal of resistant dyes from the textile wastewater. Advantages of this technique were as follows:•ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized as catalyst by thermal method and were immobilized on the stones.•pH changes had no significant effect on the removal efficiency.•In the kinetic studies, the decomposition reaction followed pseudo-first order kinetic.

Waste Management by Biological Approach Employing Natural Substrates and Microbial Agents for the Remediation of Dyes’ Wastewater

This article aims to provide information on two aspects: firstly, waste management of residual biological agro-industrial materials generated from agriculture, and secondly, for the sustainable remediation of textile wastewater. Annually, huge amounts of solid renewable biomass materials are generated worldwide from agricultural and farming sectors. The generation of these vast amounts of solid wastes could be utilised as a valuable and renewable natural resource for various applications. The goal of promoting sustainable development has increased the interest in recycling wastes economically and in an eco-friendly way. This article reviews the published research on this topic and discusses the usage of these solid substrates in the remediation of a major environmental component, textile dye-contaminated water. The purpose of this article is to discuss an integrated and cross-disciplinary approach to sustainable solid and liquid waste management and remediation of environmental components and to report the biological approaches and their efficiency in a chemical-free and economically viable bioremediation process for large volumes of dye-contaminated water resources.

Improvements on activated sludge settling and flocculation using biomass-based fly ash as activator

Biomass-based fly ash and wastewater are undesired products of the pulping industry. Recently, the use of biomass-based fly ash as an adsorbent (i.e., a valued material) for constituents of wastewater effluents was reported. In this work, the settling performance and properties of activated sludge were studied in the presence of fly ash. Upon mixing, fly ash increased the zeta potential of the sludge from -31 mV to -28 mV, which was due to the release of cationic ions from fly ash in the sludge suspension. The sludge settling and its flocculation affinity were improved through the complexation of flocs and released cation ions from fly ash. The relationships between the protein/polysaccharide (PN/PS) ratio and the content of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as well as the ratio and the properties of the sludge flocs were determined. A correlation between the total loosely bound-EPS (LB-EPS) content and the effluent suspended solids (ESS) (Pearson's coefficient, r_p = 0.83) was observed. The performance of sludge flocculation and settling were much more closely correlated with LB-EPS than with tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of sludge flocs before and after EPS extraction showed that the sludge flocs contained a large number of microorganisms, mainly Bacillus and Cocci. The amount of LB-EPS had an adverse influence on bioflocculation, effluent clarification and sludge settling affinity. The sludge properties had a moderate relationship with the PN/PS ratio of LB-EPS. Also, no correlation could be established between the ratio and the TB-EPS content.

In situ Decolorization Monitoring of Textile Dyes for an Optimized UV-LED/TiO2 Reactor

Heterogeneous photocatalysis, using photocatalysts in suspension to eliminate diverse contaminants, including textile wastewater, has several advantages. Nevertheless, current absorbance and decolorization measurements imply sample acquisition by extraction at a fixed rate with consequent photocatalyst removal. This study presents online monitoring for the decolorization of six azo dyes, Orange PX-2R (OP2), Remazol Black B133 (RB), Procion Crimson H-EXL (PC), Procion Navy H-EXL (PN), Procion Blue H-EXL (PB), and Procion Yellow H-EXL (PY), analyzing the spectrum measured in situ by using the light scattering provided by the photocatalyst in suspension. The results obtained have corroborated the feasibility of obtaining absorbance and decolorization measurements, avoiding disturbances in the process due to a decrease in the volume in the reactor.

Reduction of adsorbed dyes content in the discharged sludge coming from an industrial textile wastewater treatment plant using aerobic activated sludge process

Dye mass balance study at full-scale industrial textile wastewater (ITW) treatment plant showed that 1.5 ton of excess waste sludge, containing 304.5 Kg of dyes, are daily produced and discharged in landfills. Therefore, this by-product of activated sludge process (ASP) presents a serious environmental problem. In this work, a laboratory and pilot scale investigations were carried out to optimize aerobic biodegradation efficiency to reduce the amount of residual adsorbed dye that will be found in the waste sludge. The resistance of acclimated biomass to the toxicity of ITW was studied in 2.5 L batch reactors using different dye to biomass (D/B) ratios of 0.102, 0.25 and 0.72 g COD_S/g VSS. Results of respirometric analyses showed that acclimated activated sludge (AS) biomass is able to treat ITW at high D/B ratio of 0.72 g COD_S/g VSS. Moreover, biodegradation kinetic study using Monod law showed that COD and color removal were better for the highest D/B ratio. The half saturation coefficient of heterotrophs for indigo dye (K_Sind) of 20.01 g/m³ showed high affinity between biomass and dye molecules. Optimization of the process at pilot-scale with different hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2-5 days, and different sludge recycling rates (SRR) of 220-680 m³/d, showed that high HRT of 5 days and a SRR of 0.22 allowed the best dye biodegradation efficiency (95%). Application of the best conditions at full-scale reduced significantly (89%) the amount of the discharged dyes from 304.5 Kg/d to 33 Kg/d. Results were numerically validated using a mathematical model based on the activated sludge model 1 (ASM1).

Bioremediation of Synthetic and Industrial Effluents by Aspergillus niger Isolated from Contaminated Soil Following a Sequential Strategy

The present study aimed to assess and compare the ability to remediate synthetic textile and industrial wastewaters by Fenton treatment, a biological system and sequential treatments using Aspergillus niger (A. niger). All studied treatments were found to be effective in decolorization of the effluents under study. Fenton treatment followed by A. niger showed excellent potential for the maximum decolorization of the synthetic and industrial effluents under study. The effectiveness of sequential treatment was evaluated by water quality parameters such as total organic carbon (TOC), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) before and after each treatment. The results indicated that A. niger is an effective candidate for detoxification of textile wastewaters.