Title: Biosorbent-assisted ceramic microfiltration process for treatment of herbal pharmaceutical wastewater with high organic loading

Authors: Priyankari Bhattacharya, Sourja Ghosh, Swachchha Majumdar, Subrata Dasgupta, Sibdas Bandyopadhyay

Addresses: Ceramic Membrane Division, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Kolkata, India. ' Ceramic Membrane Division, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Kolkata, India. ' Ceramic Membrane Division, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Kolkata, India. ' Ceramic Membrane Division, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Kolkata, India. ' Ceramic Membrane Division, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Kolkata, India

Abstract: The feasibility of treating herbal pharmaceutical wastewater with high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) values was studied using ceramic microfiltration membrane in combination with an adsorptive treatment. Batch kinetic and isotherm studies were carried out under varying dosages of a biosorbent prepared from the roots of Eichhornia crassipes (ECR). Adsorption kinetic models, based on the assumption of the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models, were applied to examine the kinetics of the adsorption. Microfiltration study was carried out using uncoated porous ceramic membrane prepared from a mixture of α-alumina and clay in tubular multi-channel configuration. The efficiency of the separation process was evaluated in terms of turbidity, TSS, colour and COD and permeate flux rates were compared for different adsorbent loadings in the effluent. An effective removal of turbidity (>99%) and TSS (98–99%) was observed after 2 hours of microfiltration with colour removal of 87% and COD reduction of 88%.

Keywords: HPWW; herbal pharmaceutical wastewater; adsorption; kinetic modelling; ceramic membranes; ceramic microfiltration; wastewater treatment; biochemical oxygen demand; BOD; chemical oxygen demand; COD; biosorbents; colour removal.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2011.039262

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2011 Vol.14 No.1/2/3/4, pp.132 - 146

Published online: 29 Jan 2015 *

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