Combined destruction of ethylene glycol, formaldehyde and methanol by biological methods

Summary

The objective of the applied scientific research is to determine the specific rate of oxidation of toxic organic compounds – ethylene glycol, formaldehyde and methanol – by the community of microorganisms of the immobilized biocenosis on the ERSH^® carrier installed in a pilot plant. To achieve this goal, a multi-stage experiment was carried out that provided for determining possible enhanced biodegradation of toxic substances and specifying the required concentration of ammonium nitrogen in raw wastewater for the implementation of the biodegradation process. In the course of the study, the following works were carried out: determining the process stabilization time in the pilot plant after the scheduled shutdown in the wastewater supply on the 31st day; assessing the specific rate of oxidation by the attached biocenosis in terms of ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, COD, BOD; assessing the assimilation and transformation of nitrogen compounds; drawing conclusions based on the analysis of the research results required for estimating the feasibility of using biological wastewater treatment with the attached biocenosis of the pollutants under study and determining the design parameters of the treatment plant.

Key words

wastewater , bioreactor , ethylene glycol , formaldehyde , methanol , biological methods , immobilized microflora

Efficiency of using a commensalism-based bacterial consortium for the treatment of urea-containing wastewater

Summary

The results of studying biological treatment of industrial wastewater containing ammonium nitrogen, urea and methanol with free-floating activated sludge under anaerobic conditions are presented. Urobacteria use urea as a source of nitrogen. Building cell substance needs organic carbon; however, they cannot use either methanol, or urea as a carbon source. Methylotrophs use methanol as a carbon substrate and produce organic substances in the process of metabolism. Analysis of the specificity of the urobacteria metabolism and methylotrophs provides for assuming the capability of forming a consortium with establishing a specific type of relationship between them, i. e. commensalism. In practice, the assumption has been confirmed that biological treatment of industrial wastewater of a complex composition, containing urea, methanol and ammonium, is possible and feasible which makes the disposal of these pollutants an environmentally friendly and economically advantageous process.

Key words

ammonia nitrogen , industrial wastewater , redox potential , methanol , aeration tanks , urea , commensalism , stand unit for laboratory research , urobacteria , methylotrophs