BIOCHEMICAL PROCESS FOR SELENIUM RECOVERY FROM BIOREMEDIATION EFFLUENT OR SLUDGE

摘要

Wastewater containing selenium in a soluble form is treated in a bioreactor. Microorganisms in the reactor reduce the selenium to elemental selenium, which is insoluble. The elemental selenium is discharged from the reactor in waste sludge. The waste sludge is thickened and then treated with a cell lysis reagent to break down or dissolve micro-organism cells in the sludge. After lysis, the sludge is treated to physically separate out the remaining solids, which includes elemental selenium, for reuse.