Evaluation for Biological Reduction of Nitrate and Perchlorate in Brine Water Using the Hydrogen-Based Membrane Biofilm Reactor
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 2
Abstract
Whereas ion exchange is an attractive technology for treating perchlorate and nitrate in drinking water, a major disadvantage is that the resin must be regenerated using a brine, producing wastes with high concentrations of nitrate, perchlorate, and salt. This study investigates the potential for simultaneous nitrate and perchlorate reductions in high-salt conditions using the -based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR). The autotrophic biological reductions produce harmless and , making the brine safe for reuse or disposal. A very high-strength brine ( salt) from a commercial ion-exchange membrane, Purolite, supported biofilm accumulation and allowed slow reduction rates for nitrate and perchlorate. Reduction rates increased significantly when the Purolite brine was diluted by 50% or more. A synthetic high-strength salt medium containing nitrate, perchlorate, or both supported more rapid reduction rates for as high as , while slowed reduction by 40% or more, confirming that the microorganisms in the MBfR were inhibited by high salt content. An increase of pressure gave higher fluxes for , demonstrating that availability controlled the reduction kinetics when the system was not salt-inhibited.
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Acknowledgments
Partial support for this work came from Applied Process Technology (APT) and a Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of Korea Science & Engineering Foundation (KOSEF). We also acknowledge the Purolite company for providing the brine.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 2 • February 2007
Pages: 157 - 164
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 31, 2005
Accepted: Jul 25, 2006
Published online: Feb 1, 2007
Published in print: Feb 2007
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