Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6490329 | Journal of Biotechnology | 2018 | 20 Pages |
Abstract
Adsorption of cationic surfactants (QACs) Br-tetradecyltrimethylammonium (TTAB), Cl-tetradecylbenzyldimethylammonium (C14BDMA) and Cl-hexadecylbenzyldimethylammonium (C16BDMA) to activated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant was tested. Adsorption equilibrium was reached after 2â¯h, and for initial 200â¯mgâ¯Lâ1 81%, 90% and 98% of TTAB, C14BDMA and C16BDMA were respectively adsorbed. After six successive desorption cycles, 21% of TTAB and 12.7% of C14BDMA were desorbed from the sludge. In agreement with the percentage of QACs pre-adsorbed, the more hydrophobic the compound, the lesser the extent of desorption. Wastewater samples with activated sludge were supplemented with TTAB 200â¯mgâ¯Lâ1 and Ca-alginate beads containing the QACs-degrading microorganisms Pseudomonas putida A (ATCC 12633) and Aeromonas hydrophila MFB03. After 24â¯h, 10â¯mgâ¯Lâ1 of TTAB were detected in the liquid phase and 6-8â¯mgâ¯Lâ1 adsorbed to the sludge. Since without Ca-alginate beads or with empty beads total TTAB amount (phase solid and liquid) did not change, the 90% reduction of the initial 200â¯mgâ¯Lâ1 after treatment with immobilized cells was attributed to the bacterial consortium's capacity to biodegrade QACs. The results show the advantages of using immobilized bacteria to achieve complete QACs elimination from wastewater systems, thus preventing them from reaching the environment.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
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Authors
MarÃa F. Bergero, Gloria I. Lucchesi,