Enhanced organic pollutant removal influenced by activated-ferric-sludge

• Published in: Environmental technology Vol. 35; no. 20; pp. 2528 - 2537
• Main Authors: Xu, G.R, Tang, J.H, Li, G.B, Spinosa, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 18.10.2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: activated sludge; activated sludge (AS); activated-ferric-sludge (AFS); adsorption; Applied sciences; dissolved oxygen; environmental technology; Exact sciences and technology; Ferric Compounds - chemistry; General purification processes; Humic Substances; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; microbial activity; organic pollutants; Oxygen - analysis; Oxygen - metabolism; pollutants; Pollution; reactivation; sewage; Sewage - chemistry; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; wastewater treatment; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - isolation & purification; Water treatment and pollution; British Isles; Microbial activity; Activated sludge; activated sludge (AS); Correlation; Adsorption capacity; reactivation; activated-ferric-sludge (AFS); organic pollutants; Waste water; Biological purification; Pollutant; Iron III; Correlation analysis; pH; Waste water purification; Dissolved oxygen; sewage
• ISSN: 1479-487X; 0959-3330; 1479-487X
• DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2014.911754

The primary goal of this study was to compare the pollutant removal efficiency of the reactivated activated-ferric-sludge (AFS) with that of the activated sludge (AS). Most tested organic pollutants were preferably removed by reactivated AFS. The optimal reactivated conditions for AFS were a reactivation time of 3 h, pH of 5–9, AFS dose of 5 g/L and dissolved oxygen of 2–6 mg/L. The results revealed a positive correlation between microbial activity and the removal efficiency of organic pollutants, with a higher microbial activity being associated with a better removal efficiency of organic pollutants. Additionally, variations in extracellular polymeric substances were found to be crucial to the microbial activity and adsorption capacity of reactivated AFS. After reactivation, reactivated AFS was superior to AS for the removal of most pollutants. Finally, the mechanism of AFS reactivation was investigated. Overall, the results of the present study demonstrate that reactivated AFS has the potential for widespread application in the removal of organic pollutants during the wastewater treatment process.