Submerged microfiltration membrane and activated carbon processes for recalcitrant compounds removal in oil refinery effluent as electrodialysis pre-treatment

• Published in: Water science and technology 2021-09, Vol.84 (6), p.1403-1416
• Main Authors: Piombini, Carolinne Ragazzi, Silva, Larissa Loureiro Salgueiro, da Fonseca, Fabiana Valéria, Campos, Juacyara Carbonelli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorbents; Adsorption; Carbon; Chemical oxygen demand; Efficiency; Effluents; Electrodialysis; Experiments; Hypotheses; Membrane separation; Microfiltration; Oil refineries; Organic carbon; Petroleum refineries; Refineries; refinery effluent; Removal; reuse; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; submerged membranes; Total organic carbon; Water treatment
• ISSN: 0273-1223; 1996-9732
• DOI: 10.2166/wst.2021.318

The combination of suspended activated carbon (AC) and submerged microfiltration (SMF) processes was applied to polish a biotreated effluent generated in a refinery industry. Preliminary results indicated that Norit 1240 W AC was more suitable than Carbomafra AC brand for total organic carbon (TOC) removal due to the highest Freundlich adsorption constant value (1.97 ± 0.42 and 0.96 ± 0.23 (mg/g)(L/mg)1/n, respectively), thus the first one was used in the combined system. Among all particle sizes of AC tested (0.041–1.01 mm), AC/SMF system was better performed, according to permeation flux, when applying granular AC instead of the powder one. On the other hand, the best response regarding TOC removal and absorbance at 254 nm (ABS254 nm) reduction were observed when applying powder AC (89% and 97%, respectively). Statistical analysis with two-sample T-test (p-value