Bioregeneration of cresol-loaded granular activated carbon using immobilized biomass: Effects of operational factors and chemical structure of cresol isomers

摘要

The effects of initial cresol loading concentration, granular activated carbon (GAC) dosage, dry biomass density biomass immobilization matrix and chemical structure of cresol isomers on the bioregeneration efficiency of GAC loaded with o-, m- and p-cresol using polyurethane (PU) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) immobilized biomasses, respectively, were investigated. The results revealed higher bioregeneration efficiencies of cresol-loaded GAC when GAC was saturated with cresol. The dominating factor determining the bioregeneration efficiency was the distribution of cresol molecules within the micro-, meso- and macro pores of GAC. Bioregeneration efficiency of cresol-loaded GAC could be enhanced by increasing the dry biomass density from 0.32 to 1.3 g/100 mL in PU-immobilized biomass beads. PU-immobilized biomass was found to yield higher bioregeneration efficiency than PVA-immobilized biomass. Among the cresol isomer-loaded GACs, bioregeneration efficiency of o-cresol-loaded GAC was the lowest due to more irreversibility of adsorbed o-cresol than m- and p-cresol. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers.