Integrated photocatalytic and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treatment system for degradation of phenol

Abstract

This study will examine the efficiency of the simultaneous photocatalytic and biodegradation process in the same treatment reactor. The sequencing batch reactor or also known as SBR is an effective wastewater treatment method that has been applied widely. SBR system has become an alternative method for industrial wastewater treatment with high concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD), and phenolic compound. In order for the photocatalytic process to occur, ZnO nanoparticles immobilized onto sponge were introduced to the reactor. It was observed that the COD value were decreased, indicated that the simultaneous biodegradation and photodegradation process in functional. The effect of ZnO nanoparticles on the production and composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the physiochemical stability of activated sludge in hybrid growth type SBR were monitored. The percentages of removal are varied with different concentration of ZnO nanoparticles. The highest COD removal recorded is 31.5% with concentration of ZnO 0.6 mg/L. With the present of the ZnO nanoparticles, the degradation of phenol was relatively better than combination of biological of photlysis and biological.