COD, COLOR AND SLUDGE REDUCTION IN TEXTILE EFFLUENT: A PRELIMINARY STUDY USING IMMOBILIZED MICROBE BIOREACTOR (IMBR) TECHNOLOGY

摘要

The technology of Immobilized Microbe Bioreactors (Figure 5) is well documented and field proven to be a mature method for treating wastewater from various industrial operations including pulp and paper, wood treating, and oil related industries. The data presented herein demonstrates the effectiveness of IMBR technology on COD reduction and color clearing in textile effluent. Batch treatment with nutrient addition over a 24 hour time period was sufficient in most cases for a >75% COD reduction and concomitant color removal. Most textile effluents including those from carpetmanufacturers responded well to IMBR treatment yielding water that may be reused at varying points throughout a plant. No odor or sludge was noted throughout the treatment process in either the benchscale or pilot scale studies. IMBR treatment systems must be designed specifically for each plant based upon the needs and desires of the plant in question. They can be scaled for treatment of total effluent or reduced in size to treat a smaller portion of the plant's waste where the greatest COD contribution is found. These bioreactors can also act as seeding sources for microbial enhancement of aeration ponds. In all cases the footprint of these systems is extremely small when compared to the area required by activated sludge basins. Additionally, operating costs are minimal. In short IMBR treatment produces reusable water at a low cost while eliminating odor, sludge, and color and achieving significant reductions in COD concentrations.