Biodegradation and Absorption Technology for Hydrocarbon-Polluted Water Treatment
Wastewaters polluted with hydrocarbons are an environmental problem that has a significant impact on the natural ecosystem and on human health. Thus, the aim of this research was to develop a bioreactor sorbent technology for treating these polluted waters. A lab-scale plant composed of three 1-L bi...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-01-01
|
Series: | Applied Sciences |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/3/841 |
id |
doaj-d03c98e6f53746b9bf69d5e97a81bf43 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-d03c98e6f53746b9bf69d5e97a81bf432020-11-25T01:47:08ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-01-0110384110.3390/app10030841app10030841Biodegradation and Absorption Technology for Hydrocarbon-Polluted Water TreatmentAlfonso Rodríguez-Calvo0Gloria Andrea Silva-Castro1Darío Rafael Olicón-Hernández2Jesús González-López3Concepción Calvo4Environmental Microbiology Group, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, SpainEnvironmental Microbiology Group, Department of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems, University of Granada, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 18008 Granada, SpainMicrobiology Department, National School of Biological Sciences, National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico D.F. 11340, MexicoEnvironmental Microbiology Group, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, 18071Granada, SpainEnvironmental Microbiology Group, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, 18071Granada, SpainWastewaters polluted with hydrocarbons are an environmental problem that has a significant impact on the natural ecosystem and on human health. Thus, the aim of this research was to develop a bioreactor sorbent technology for treating these polluted waters. A lab-scale plant composed of three 1-L bioreactors with different sorbent materials inside (meltblown polypropylene and granulated cork) was built. Wastewater to be treated was recirculated through each bioreactor for 7 days. Results showed that hydrocarbon retention rates in the three bioreactors ranged between 92.6% and 94.5% of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and that after one simple recirculation cycle, no hydrocarbon fractions were detected by gas chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) in the effluent wastewater. In addition, after the wastewater treatment, the sorbent materials were extracted from the bioreactors and deposited in vessels to study the biodegradation of the retained hydrocarbons by the wastewater indigenous microbiota adhered to sorbents during the wastewater treatment. A TPH removal of 41.2% was detected after one month of Pad Sentec™ carrier treatment. Further, the shifts detected in the percentages of some hydrocarbon fractions suggested that biodegradation is at least partially involved in the hydrocarbon removal process. These results proved the efficiency of this technology for the treatment of these hydrocarbon-polluted-waters.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/3/841biodegradationwater treatmentsorbent carrierspilot planthydrocarbons |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Alfonso Rodríguez-Calvo Gloria Andrea Silva-Castro Darío Rafael Olicón-Hernández Jesús González-López Concepción Calvo |
spellingShingle |
Alfonso Rodríguez-Calvo Gloria Andrea Silva-Castro Darío Rafael Olicón-Hernández Jesús González-López Concepción Calvo Biodegradation and Absorption Technology for Hydrocarbon-Polluted Water Treatment Applied Sciences biodegradation water treatment sorbent carriers pilot plant hydrocarbons |
author_facet |
Alfonso Rodríguez-Calvo Gloria Andrea Silva-Castro Darío Rafael Olicón-Hernández Jesús González-López Concepción Calvo |
author_sort |
Alfonso Rodríguez-Calvo |
title |
Biodegradation and Absorption Technology for Hydrocarbon-Polluted Water Treatment |
title_short |
Biodegradation and Absorption Technology for Hydrocarbon-Polluted Water Treatment |
title_full |
Biodegradation and Absorption Technology for Hydrocarbon-Polluted Water Treatment |
title_fullStr |
Biodegradation and Absorption Technology for Hydrocarbon-Polluted Water Treatment |
title_full_unstemmed |
Biodegradation and Absorption Technology for Hydrocarbon-Polluted Water Treatment |
title_sort |
biodegradation and absorption technology for hydrocarbon-polluted water treatment |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Applied Sciences |
issn |
2076-3417 |
publishDate |
2020-01-01 |
description |
Wastewaters polluted with hydrocarbons are an environmental problem that has a significant impact on the natural ecosystem and on human health. Thus, the aim of this research was to develop a bioreactor sorbent technology for treating these polluted waters. A lab-scale plant composed of three 1-L bioreactors with different sorbent materials inside (meltblown polypropylene and granulated cork) was built. Wastewater to be treated was recirculated through each bioreactor for 7 days. Results showed that hydrocarbon retention rates in the three bioreactors ranged between 92.6% and 94.5% of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and that after one simple recirculation cycle, no hydrocarbon fractions were detected by gas chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) in the effluent wastewater. In addition, after the wastewater treatment, the sorbent materials were extracted from the bioreactors and deposited in vessels to study the biodegradation of the retained hydrocarbons by the wastewater indigenous microbiota adhered to sorbents during the wastewater treatment. A TPH removal of 41.2% was detected after one month of Pad Sentec™ carrier treatment. Further, the shifts detected in the percentages of some hydrocarbon fractions suggested that biodegradation is at least partially involved in the hydrocarbon removal process. These results proved the efficiency of this technology for the treatment of these hydrocarbon-polluted-waters. |
topic |
biodegradation water treatment sorbent carriers pilot plant hydrocarbons |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/3/841 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT alfonsorodriguezcalvo biodegradationandabsorptiontechnologyforhydrocarbonpollutedwatertreatment AT gloriaandreasilvacastro biodegradationandabsorptiontechnologyforhydrocarbonpollutedwatertreatment AT dariorafaeloliconhernandez biodegradationandabsorptiontechnologyforhydrocarbonpollutedwatertreatment AT jesusgonzalezlopez biodegradationandabsorptiontechnologyforhydrocarbonpollutedwatertreatment AT concepcioncalvo biodegradationandabsorptiontechnologyforhydrocarbonpollutedwatertreatment |
_version_ |
1725016018365972480 |