Fenton Oxidation and Biological Activated Carbon Treatment for Recycling Biotreated Coking Plant Wastewater

Abstract

AbstractFenton oxidation, coagulation/flocculation/sedimendation plus Fenton oxidation, and Fenton oxidation plus activated carbon adsorption were conducted to develop the effective processes for recycling a biologically treated coking plant effluent. Fenton oxidation enhanced adsorptive capacities of activated carbon for the residual organics and also made them more biodegradable. The Fenton oxidation followed by adsorption and biodegradation in a biological activated carbon (BAC) adsorber was the most cost-effective treatment process to recycle the final effluent for in-plant reuses while meeting the much more stringent discharge limits of the future. Batch experiments were also conducted to determine the effects of copper-loading and fixing methods on the capacity of granular activated carbon (GAC) for removing cyanide from KCN (pH = 11), K3Fe(CN)6 solutions and several Shanghai Coking Plant (SCP) effluent samples. KI-fixed carbon (Cu/KI-GAC) was the best GAC samples tested. Adsorption was the primary mechanism of cyanide removal; catalytic oxidation of the adsorbed cyanide on carbon surface contributed a minor amount of the observed removal. Four small adsorbers containing the base GAC and 0–100% of Cu/KI-GAC were employed for treating a Fenton-oxidized/precipitated SCP effluent sample. After the start-up period (<3 weeks) to establish the effective BAC function in the adsorbers, the effluents became stable and met the discharge limits (CODCr < 50 mg/L and TCN < 0.5 mg/L); with >30% Cu/KI-GAC in the adsorber, the effluent would meet the discharge limits during the start-up phase. The BAC function of the adsorber substantially reduced the carbon replacement cost, making the combined Fenton oxidation and BAC treatment process a cost-effective alternative for recycling the biotreated coking plant effluent.KeywordsCyanide-containing coking wastewaterFenton oxidationCarbon adsorptionBACCopper-loaded GAC