An integrated process for wet scrubber wastewater treatment using electrooxidation and pressure-driven membrane filtration

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 308; p. 136216
• Main Authors: Belibagli, Pinar, Isik, Zelal, Özdemir, Sadin, Gonca, Serpil, Dizge, Nadir, Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar, Balakrishnan, Deepanraj
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2022
• Subjects: Biofilm inhibition; COD removal; Electrochemical oxidation; Microbial cell viability; Pressure-driven membrane filtration; Total phenol removal; Wet scrubber wastewater; Total phenol removal; Biofilm inhibition; Wet scrubber wastewater; Electrochemical oxidation; Pressure-driven membrane filtration; Microbial cell viability; COD removal
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136216

In this study, the electrooxidation (EO) and membrane processes were used for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phenol (TPh) removal from wet scrubber wastewater (WSW). EO experiments were carried out using Al, Fe, SS, Ti, graphite, active carbon cloth electrodes and Box-Behnken design were used for optimization of maximum COD and TPh removal efficiency. Moreover, membrane filtration experiments were conducted to EO process using nanofiltration (NF270) and reverse osmosis membranes (SW30 and BW30). The maximum COD (55%) and TPh (50%) removal efficiency was achieved at pH of 8, 150 A/m2 current density, and 180 min reaction time in EO process. Membrane filtration results showed that COD removal efficiency was the highest for SW30 membrane (95.18%) compared to BW30 (91.15%) and NF270 (80.11%) membranes. TPh removal efficiency in the NF270, BW30, and SW30 membranes was 27.08%, 96.06%, and 98.02%, respectively. The effect of microbial cell viability of the raw and treated wet scrubber wastewater after electrooxidation and membrane filtration was also investigated using E. coli. In addition to these, biofilm inhibition of the raw wet scrubber wastewater and the treated WSW after EO and membrane filtration were tested and the highest biofilm inhibition was found as 76.43% and 72.58% against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, respectively, in 1/20 diluted samples of the raw WSW. This study suggests that the integrated process using EO and pressure-driven membrane methods are an efficient strategy for COD and TPh removal from WSW.
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•Electrooxidation and pressure-driven membrane filtration integrates process was used for scrubber wastewater treatment.•COD removal efficiency was the highest for SW30 membrane (95%) compared to NF270 (%80) and BW30 (91%) membranes.•The effect of microbial cell viability of the raw and treated wet scrubber wastewater was also investigated using E. coli.