Comparative study of thermophilic and mesophilic anaerobic treatment of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) wastewater

Michael O. Daramola, Elizabeth F. Aransiola, Adeniyi G. Adeogun

.

DOI: 10.4236/ns.2011.35050                

Abstract

The paper provides a critical comparison between mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic treatment of PTA wastewater through diagnosis of a case study. Aspects covered are bioavailability, biodegradability, microbial population, thermodynamics, kinetics involved and bio-reactor design for PTA wastewater treatment. The results of the case study suggests that one- stage thermophilic anaerobic reactor coupled with coagulation-flocculation pre-treatment unit and an aerobic post treatment unit could be techno-economically viable for PTA wastewater treatment to ensure that the final effluent quality conforms to the international standard. The in-formation emanated from this study could be useful and thought provoking to the professionals and academia in the area of PTA wastewater treatment and can serve as impetus toward the development of research lines in similar problems like the treatment of other petrochemical wastewater such as phenol-con- taining wastewater, benzene/benzoic acid-con- taining wastewater or wastewater from other similar industrial settings.

Keywords

Terephthalic Acid; Wastewater Treatment; Anaerobic and Aerobic Treatment; Me-sophilic and Thermophilic Conditions; Bioreactors

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Karthik, M., Dafale, N., Pathe, P. and Nandy, T. (2008) Biodegradability enhancement of purified terephthalic acid wastewater by coagulation-flocculation process as pretreatment. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 154, 721-730. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.10.085
[2]	Chinese Pure Terephthalic Acid Market Report (2007) http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/financialvisions?ChannelID=3191&GUID=3460172&Page=MediaViewer2008
[3]	Franck, H.G. and Stadelhofer, J.W. (1988) p-Xylene and its derivates: Terephthalic acid. In: Franck, H.G. Ed., Industrial Aromatic Chemistry: Raw Materials, Process Products, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 283-290.
[4]	Kleerbezem, R., Mortier, J., Hulshoff Pol, L.W. and Lettinga, G. (1997) Anaerobic pretreatment of petrochemical effluents: Terephthalic acid wastewater. Water Science and Technology, 36, 237-248. doi:10.1016/S0273-1223(97)00393-4
[5]	Macarie, H. and Guyot, J.P. (1992) Inhibition of the methanogenic fermentation of ptoluic acid (4-methyl-ben- zoic acid) by acetate. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 38, 398-402. doi:10.1007/BF00170093
[6]	Liangming, X., Yuxiang, C. and Xiangdong, Z. (1991) The anaerobic biological treatment of high strength petrochemical wastewater by a hybrid reactor. International Conference on Petroleum Refining and Petrochemical Processing, Beijing, 11-15 September 1991, 120-126.
[7]	Kleerebezem, R., Hulshoff Pol, L.W. and Lettinga, G. (1999) Anaerobic biodegradability of phthalic acid isomers and related compounds. Biodegradation, 10, 63-73. doi:10.1023/A:1008321015498
[8]	Kleerebezem, R., Hulshoff Pol, L.W. and Lettinga, G. (1999) Anaerobic degradation of phthalate isomers by methanogenic consortia. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 65, 1152-1160.
[9]	Wolkowski, T.R., Chin, T.Y. and Heck, H. (1982) Chemical urolithiasis 3: Pharmacokinetics and transplacental transport of terephthalic acid in Fischer-344 rats. Drug Metabolism and Disposition, 10, 486-490.
[10]	Pernille, E., Kristian, K., Brandt, A., Rasmussen, L.H., Ovesen, R.G. and S?rensen, J. (2007) Microbial degradation and impact of Bracken toxin ptaquiloside on microbial communities in soil. Chemosphere, 67, 202-209. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.08.025
[11]	Qi, S.T., Wang, X.R. and Xu, X.K. (2002) Study on the bladder calculi and bladder cancer induced by terephthalic acid in rats. Journal of hygiene research, 31, 10-12.
[12]	Scholz, N. (2003) Ecotoxicity and biodegradation of phthalate monoesters. Chemosphere, 53, 921-926. doi:10.1016/S0045-6535(03)00668-4
[13]	Chen, B.J., Yuan, Y.X. and Qu, K.M. (2000) Joint effects of acetaldehyde, p-phthalic acid and ethylene glycol on growth of Tetradesmus wiseconsinense. Journal of Fishery Sciences of China, 7, 82-85.
[14]	Qu, K.M., Yuan, Y.X. and Chen, M.S. (2000) Acute toxicity and join effect of pollutants in fiber wastewater in Daphnia magna. Journal of Fishery Sciences of China, 7, 78-81.
[15]	Chen, B.J., Yuan, Y.X. and Wang, H.P. (2001) Joint effects of acetaldehyde, p-phthalic acid and ethylene glycol on growth of silver carp and grass carp. Journal of Fishery Sciences of China, 8, 73-76.
[16]	Zhang, H.D., Xu, X.K. and Gong, N. (2001) Study on the toxicity of terephthalic acid to NIH3T3 cells. Chinese Journal of Industrial Medicine, 14, 65-67.
[17]	US Environmental Protection Agency (2007) Federal Register. http://www.deq.state.va.us/vpdes/pdf/BactiFinalRule.pdf
[18]	Deng, Y., Zhang, K., Chen, H., Wu, T., Krzyaniak, M., Wellons, A., Bolla, D., Douglas, K. and Zuo, Y. (2006) Iron-catalyzed photochemical transformation of benzoic acid in atmospheric liquids: Product identification and reaction mechanisms. Atmospheric Environment, 40, 3665- 3676. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.03.019
[19]	Chan, A.H., Chan, C.K., Barford, J.P. and Porter, J.F. (2003) Solar photocatalytic thin film cascade reactor for treatment of benzoic acid containing wastewater. Water Research, 37, 1125-1135. doi:10.1016/S0043-1354(02)00465-7
[20]	Brillas, E., Cabot, P.L., Rodriguez, R.M., Arias, C., Garrido, J.A. and Oliver, R. (2004) Degradation of the herbicide 2, 4-DP by catalyzed ozonation using the O3/Fe2+/ UVA system. Applied Catalysis, 51, 117-127. doi:10.1016/j.apcatb.2004.02.007
[21]	Radoiu, M.T., Martin, D.I., Calinescu, I. and Iovu, H. (2004) Preparation of polyelectrolytes for wastewater treatment. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 106, 27-37. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2003.08.014
[22]	Kleerbezem, R., Beckers, J., Hulshoff Pol, L.W. and Lettinga, G. (2005) High rate treatment of terephthalic acid production wastewater in a two stage anaerobic bioreactor. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 91, 169-179. doi:10.1002/bit.20502
[23]	Lau, C.M., (1978) Staging aeration for high efficiency treatment of aromatic acids plant wastewater. Proceedings of 32nd Independent Wastewater Conference, West Lafayette, 10 May 1977, 63-74.
[24]	Macarie, H. and Guyot, J.P. (1995) Use of ferrous sulphate to reduce the redox-potential and allow the start-up of UASB-reactors treating slowly biodegradable compounds: Application to a wastewater containing 4-methy- lbenzoic acid. Environmental technology, 16, 1185-1192. doi:10.1080/09593331608616354
[25]	Macarie, H., Noyola, A. and Guyot, J.P. (1992) Anaerobic treatment of a petrochemical wastewater from a terephthalic acid plant. Water Science and Technology, 25, 223-235.
[26]	Kleerebezem, R., Pol, L.W.H. and Lettinga, G. (1999) Energetic of product formation during anaerobic degradation of phthalate isomers and benzoate. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 29, 273-282. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6941.1999.tb00618.x
[27]	Fajardo, C., Guyot, J.P., Macarie, H. and Monroy, O. (1997) Inhibition of anaerobic digestion by terephthalic acid and its aromatic byproducts. Water Science and Technology, 36, 83-90. doi:10.1016/S0273-1223(97)00510-6
[28]	OECD SIDS (2001) Terephthalic acid. UNEP publications, Nairobi.
[29]	Amend, J.P. and Shock, E.L. (2001) Energetics of overall metabolic reactions of thermophilic and hyperthermophilic Archaea and Bacteria. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, 25, 175-243. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6976.2001.tb00576.x
[30]	Kleerebezem, R. and Lettinga, G. (2000) High-rate anaerobic treatment of purified terephthalic acid wastewater. Water Science and Technology, 42, 259-268.
[31]	Chen, C.-L., Macarie, H., Ramirez, I., Olmos, A., Ong, S.L., Monroy, O. and Liu, W.T. (2004) Microbial community structure in a thermophilic anaerobic hybrid reactor degrading terephthalate. Microbiology, 150, 3429-3440. doi:10.1099/mic.0.27193-0
[32]	Macarie, H. (2000) Overview of the application of anaerobic treatment to chemical and petrochemical wastewaters. Water Science and Technology, 42, 201-214.
[33]	Van Lier, J.B., Rebac, S. and Lettinga, G. (1997) High- ate anaerobic wastewater treatment under psychrophilic and thermphilic conditions. Water Science and Technology, 35, 199-206. doi:10.1016/S0273-1223(97)00202-3
[34]	Qiu, Y.L., Sekiguchi, Y., Imachi, H., Kamagata, Y., Tseng, I.C., Ohashi, S.S. and Harada, H. (2004) Identification and isolation of anaerobic, syntrophic phthalate isomer-degrading microbes from methanogenic sludges treating wastewater from terephthalate manufacturing. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 70, 1617-1626.
[35]	Wu, J.H., Liu, W.T., Tseng, I.C. and Cheng, S.S. (2001) Characterization of microbial consortia in an anaerobic granular sludge system treating terephthalate. Microbiology, 147, 373-382.
[36]	Castro, H.F., Williams, N.H. and Ogram, A. (2000) Phylogeny of sulphate-reducing bacteria. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 31, 1-9.
[37]	Loy, A., Lehner, A., Lee, N., Adamczyk, J., Meier, H., Ernst, J., Schleifer, K.H. and Wagner, M. (2002) Oligonucleotide microarray for 16S rRNA gene-based detection of all recognized lineages of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes in the environment. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 68, 5064-5081. doi:10.1128/AEM.68.10.5064-5081.2002
[38]	Noyola, A., Macarie, H. and Guyot, J.P. (1990) Treatment of TA plant wastewater with an anaerobic fixed film reactor. Environmental Technology, 11, 239-248. doi:10.1080/09593339009384862
[39]	Guyot, J.P., Macarie, H., and Noyola, A. (1990) Anaerobic digestion of a petrochemical wastewater using the UASB process. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 24/25, 579-589. doi:10.1007/BF02920280
[40]	Pophali, G.R., Khan, R., Dhodapkar, R.S., Nandy, T. and Devotta, S. (2007) Anaerobic-aerobic treatment of PTA effluent: A techno-economic alternative to two-stage aerobic process. Journal of Environmental Management, 85, 1024-1033. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2006.11.016
[41]	Tsuno, H. and Kawamura, M. (2009) Development of an expanded-bed GAC reactor for anaerobic treatment of terephthalate – containing wastewater. Water Research, 43, 417-422. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2008.10.046
[42]	Suidan, M.T., Strubler, C.E., Kao, S.W. and Pfeffer, J.T. (1983) Treatment of coal gasification wastewater with anaerobic filter technology. Journal of Environmental Management, 55, 1263-1270.
[43]	Tsuno, H., Kawamura, M. and Somiya, I. (1996) Anaerobic degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in biological expanded-bed reactor. Water Science and Technology, 34, 335-344. doi:10.1016/0273-1223(96)00663-4
[44]	Tsuno, H., Kawamura, M. and Oya, T. (2006) Application of biological activated carbon anaerobic reactor for treatment of hazardous chemicals. Water Science and Technology, 53, 251-260. doi:10.2166/wst.2006.360