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Technical Papers
Oct 26, 2023

Anaerobic Treatment of Real Dye Wastewater Using a Modified Internal Circulation Reactor

Authors: Karan Parmar [email protected], Bhaumik R. Shah [email protected], Jayesh P. Ruparelia [email protected], and Upendra D. Patel https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5342-9690 [email protected]Author Affiliations
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 1
https://doi.org/10.1061/JOEEDU.EEENG-7436
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Abstract

Proper treatment of dye wastewater containing significant concentrations of organic matter is imperative for the abatement of water pollution. Unfortunately, most studies on the treatment of dye wastewater employ synthetic wastewaters that hardly match the characteristics of real wastewater. In the present study, real wastewater generated from the manufacturing of Solvent Black 46 (SB46) dye was treated in an internal circulation reactor, modified with a bed of sponge cubes. The reactor was operated in different phases to investigate the impact of parameters such as feed chemical oxygen demand (COD), organic loading rate (OLR), and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on COD removal and methane generation. At a feed COD concentration of 10,000  mg/L and an OLR of up to 3  Kg COD/m3/day, 82% COD was removed with methane generation ranging from 0.28 to 0.31  L/g-COD removed. COD removal and methane generation increased with an increase in upflow velocity. The rate of substrate (COD) removal correlated well with the organic loading rate using the modified Stover–Kincannon model with a correlation factor (R2) of 0.9974. LC-MS analysis of treated wastewater revealed that one of the constituents of SB46, namely Metanil yellow, was decomposed by azo bond cleavage, producing corresponding aromatic amines. Overall, this study provides evidence of the successful anaerobic treatment of real industrial wastewater and its potential contribution to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). Importantly, the process parameters developed in this study have been utilized by the industry to install two full-scale anaerobic reactors to treat SB46 wastewater which has led them to double the SB46 production while conforming to the prescribed environmental discharge norms.

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Data Availability Statement

All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article or its Supplemental Materials.

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Information & Authors

Information

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Go to Journal of Environmental Engineering
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 1 • January 2024

Copyright

© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.

History

Received: May 9, 2023
Accepted: Aug 31, 2023
Published online: Oct 26, 2023
Published in print: Jan 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Mar 26, 2024

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ASCE Technical Topics:

  1. Anaerobic processes
  2. Biological processes
  3. Chemical compounds
  4. Chemical processes
  5. Chemicals
  6. Chemistry
  7. Dyes
  8. Environmental engineering
  9. Hydrologic engineering
  10. Hydrologic properties
  11. Hydrology
  12. Industrial wastes
  13. Oxygen demand
  14. Pollutants
  15. Solid wastes
  16. Waste management
  17. Waste treatment
  18. Wastes
  19. Wastewater management
  20. Wastewater treatment
  21. Water and water resources
  22. Water circulation
  23. Water treatment

Authors

Affiliations

Karan Parmar [email protected]
Postgraduate Student, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, The Maharaja Sayajirao Univ. of Baroda, Kala Bhavan, Vadodara, Gujarat 390001, India. Email: [email protected]
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Bhaumik R. Shah [email protected]
Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Government Engineering College, Shamlaji Rd., Modasa, Gujarat 383315, India. Email: [email protected]
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Jayesh P. Ruparelia [email protected]
Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Technology, Nirma Univ., SG Hwy., Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India. Email: [email protected]
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Upendra D. Patel https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5342-9690 [email protected]
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, The Maharaja Sayajirao Univ. of Baroda, Kala Bhavan, Vadodara, Gujarat 390001, India (corresponding author). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5342-9690. Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
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