Refinery Wastewater Treatment Research Articles

Harnessing Microbial Synergy: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Consortia-Mediated Bioremediation Strategies for Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Treatment

Harnessing Microbial Synergy: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Consortia-Mediated Bioremediation Strategies for Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Treatment

Comparative study of phyco-remediation through micro alga for refinery wastewater treatment

Comparative study of phyco-remediation through micro alga for refinery wastewater treatment

Polycarbonate ultrafiltration membrane modified with Mg–Al-layered double hydroxide nanoparticles for treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater

Polycarbonate ultrafiltration membrane modified with Mg–Al-layered double hydroxide nanoparticles for treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater

Natural flotation and coagulation–flocculation: a dual approach to refinery wastewater treatment

Natural flotation and coagulation–flocculation: a dual approach to refinery wastewater treatment

Efficient treatment of secondary treated refinery wastewater using sand biofiltration: Removal of hazardous organic pollutants

This study explored the potential of sand biofiltration for tertiary treatment of real refinery wastewater. The biofilter (2 cm (I.D.) x 15 cm (L)) operated on secondary treated refinery wastewater at flow rate of 1 mL/min had empty bed contact time (EBCT) of 47.12 min for one circulation. Maximum reduction in COD after 4, 8 and 12 times recirculation was 25 %, 52 % and 56 %; while the TOC reduction was 33 %, 43 % and 51 %, respectively, after biofilm development over 30 days. Quantification using two dimensional gas chromatography – time of flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOF MS) revealed that several of the identified target compounds could not be detected in the wastewater after 12 recirculations. After 8 times recirculation, most of the compounds showed very high removal efficiency. For biofiltration over the flow rate range 2–10 mL/min, the reduction in COD and NH4+-N ranged from 62–73 % and 78–86 %, respectively, after 8 times recirculation. The nitrite concentration first increased and subsequently decreased, while the nitrate concentration continuously increased with increase in the number of recirculations. Solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) analysis of the aqueous phase using GCxGC-TOF MS and a semi-quantitative approach indicated that the removal of predominant classes of compounds was greater than 95 % after 8 times recirculation, with maximum reduction occurring in the first pass through the biofilter. Assimilable organic carbon (AOC) reduction was 98 % after 8 times recirculation. Metagenomic analysis revealed that Proteobacteria was the most dominant phylum in the biofilter. Many known polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degraders, such as Sphingomonadales, Burkholderiales, Rhodobacterales and Rhodospirillales, were found in the biofilter leading to high removal efficiency of hazardous organic pollutants.

Oily wastewater treatment using low-cost and highly efficient natural and activated Iraqi bentonite

One of the most dangerous organic compounds to the environment is gasoline emulsions, discharged without prior treatment by most oil refining industries. This study focuses on the modification of bentonite clays by acid and thermal activation to maximize their adsorption capacity for treating refinery wastewater. The surface properties and porous structure of the adsorbents were investigated with the use of BET, SEM, FTIR, XRD, XRF, EDX, and MAP methods. Based on the results of BET analysis, the surface area of the raw bentonite (RB) and activated bentonite (AB) was (17.57, 69.72) m2 /g. The four independent variables, namely the initial gasoline concentration (200–1000 mg/L), solution pH (3−9), contact time (30–120 min), and adsorbent dosage (ranging from 0.05 to 0.15 g/L). According to the results, the maximal adsorption capacity (74.6.38, 138 mg/g) by RB and AB was achieved using the following optimized conditions: initial COD gasoline concentration of 1000 mg/L, pH= 6 for RB and pH= 3 for AB, contact time 120 min, and adsorbent dosage 0.15 g for RB and AB. Additionally, the kinetic and equilibrium studies demonstrated that the present adsorption process's kinetics and equilibrium behavior were adequately represented by the pseudo second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm. The data by Langmuir isotherm showed that the maximum adsorption capacity for RB and AB was equal to 83 and 140.84 mg/g, respectively. Furthermore, thermodynamic studies demonstrated that the present adsorption procedures were both spontaneous and endothermic. The mechanism of gasoline adsorption onto RB and AB was effectively investigated with the assistance of characterization techniques. The current study demonstrates that RB and AB can be utilized as adsorbents for the elimination of gasoline with high efficiency.

Sequential oxidation-composting-phytoremediation treatment for the management of an oily sludge from petroleum refinery

Oily sludges are generated in large quantities in petroleum refinery wastewater treatment plants. Given their complex composition, they are classified as hazardous waste. Selecting a single treatment technique for their remediation is challenging.This work aims to assess the extent of composting followed by phytoremediation on an oily sludge from an API separator unit, pre-treated by chemical oxidation with alkaline activated persulfate (PS). 18% of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were determined by IR spectroscopy. The aliphatic hydrocarbon content was 4714 ± 250 ppm by GC-FID, and aromatics were not detectable, suggesting a high amount of non-chromatographable complex hydrocarbons. The density of generalist and hydrocarbon-degrading populations of the oily sludge estimated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) evidenced an autochthonous microbiota with hydrocarbon-degrading capacity. The oxidative treatment with PS removed 31% of the TPH determined by IR after 20 days. The significant reduction of the native bacterial community was counterbalanced by coupling a composting treatment. Co-composting the sludge with goat manure and oat straw produced, after a year, a 96% reduction in TPH content, regardless of the oxidative pretreatment. Organic matter transformation was evidenced by the decrease of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and the variation in E4/E6 ratio. The matrices obtained of composting were used as substrates for phytoremediation for 4 months. Ryegrass seeds were planted in both PS-treated and untreated sludge substrates. The presence of the plant grown in the pre-oxidised and composted substrate resulted in a higher aerial biomass of ryegrass (67%), an increase in enzymatic activities, and higher concentration of DOC, although without evidence of additional dissipation of TPH.The dynamics of the bacterial communities of the different substrates generated during the biological treatment were analyzed by Illumina NovaSeq DNA sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons. The findings mirrored a succession compatible with that described in contaminated matrices, but also in other non-contaminated ones.According to these findings, an organic matter transformation process occurred, which included the complex hydrocarbons of the oily sludge, resulting in an active substrate that promoted the retention of nutrients and water and provided the necessary support for plant development.

Para-Nitrophenol nano-biodegradation using Turbinaria triquetra-synthesized magnetic nanoparticles-coated novel bacteria: a sustainable approach for refinery wastewater treatment

para-Nitrophenol nano-biodegradation using Turbinaria triquetra-synthesized magnetic nanoparticles-coated novel bacteria: a sustainable approach for refinery wastewater treatment

Comparative study of electrochemical oxidation system hybrid with photocatalytic system for the treatment of Al-Najaf petroleum refinery wastewater

Comparative study of electrochemical oxidation system hybrid with photocatalytic system for the treatment of Al-Najaf petroleum refinery wastewater

Treatment of refinery wastewater: Current status and prospects

The continuous increase in petroleum refining wastewater production poses a significant challenge to protecting the water environment. The comprehensive review of petroleum refining wastewater treatment processes, particularly on the cutting-edge treatment technologies, treatment efficiency, and pollutant degradation mechanisms, must be provided. This article offers such a review for filling up the literature gap. The current technologies, including the traditional pre-treatments, primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments, the combined treatments, and the wetland treatment processes, were discussed in detail. The challenges encountered in current practice, with the future research needs to overcome the challenges, were then outlined. The emerging research trend including the use of artificial intelligence technology for enhancing the petroleum refining wastewater treatment performance was also highlighted.

Combined natural flotation and chemical precipitation for the treatment of vegetable oil refinery wastewater

Combined natural flotation and chemical precipitation for the treatment of vegetable oil refinery wastewater

Treatment of Oil Refinery Wastewater Polluted by Heavy Metal Ions via Adsorption Technique using Non-Valuable Media: Cadmium Ions and Buckthorn Leaves as a Study Case

Treatment of Oil Refinery Wastewater Polluted by Heavy Metal Ions via Adsorption Technique using Non-Valuable Media: Cadmium Ions and Buckthorn Leaves as a Study Case

Adsorption of hydrocarbon pollutants from wastewater using Cu‐ and Zn‐loaded activated carbon derived from waste tires

AbstractPetroleum refinery effluents contain hazardous aromatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons that causes environmental degradation, that is, water, land, and air pollution; therefore, it should be properly treated before its discharge into environment. Adsorption serves an efficient route to treatment of refinery wastewater; but the high production cost and selectivity of the modern adsorbent used limits their industrial scale application. On the other hand, activated carbon due to desirable adsorption characteristics and low cost seems to hold the promise if properly modified to improve its efficiency. In this study, Cu and Zn impregnated on activated carbon (AC) derived from waste tires was used for adsorption of hydrocarbon pollutants from wastewater. AC was prepared from scrap tires through thermal pyrolysis, followed by chemical activation with KOH. Cu and Zn were loaded on AC through wet impregnation method. Initial batch mode adsorption experiments were carried out using aniline and phenol as model hydrocarbons, which indicated that maximum adsorption of aniline and phenol over Zn/AC and Cu/AC occurs in 10 min contact time, temperature 30°C, pH 6, 100 ppm initial concentration, and adsorbent dose of 0.1 g/10 mL. The removal of hydrocarbon pollutants from real refinery wastewater was also investigated under optimized conditions. Results show that the COD of the refinery wastewater decreased from 963 to 73 mg/L in case of Cu/AC (92% removal) and 78 mg/L in case of Zn/AC (91% removal), respectively. The adsorbent showed many folds reusability, and in first cycle, the removal efficiency of phenol and aniline was observed to be above 95%, whereas in second, third and fourth cycles, the removal percentage was 85%, 80%, and 70%, respectively.

Correlations between microbial taxonomies and wastewater quality parameters in a full-scale petroleum refinery wastewater treatment plant

In this study, we investigated the correlations between microbial taxonomies and wastewater properties in a full-scale petroleum refinery wastewater biotreatment system, comprising one anoxic tank and two aerobic tanks. Over one hundred organic compounds, mostly aromatics, were detected in the anoxic tank influent, with dominants being cresols and anilines. While the biotreatment process effectively removed most organic components, n-alkanes remained in the effluent of the second aerobic tank. Thauera and Ignavibacterium were the dominant genera across all tanks. Betaproteobacteria substantially decreased in the second aerobic tank where the aromatic compounds were depleted. The correlation network displayed two distinct microbial clusters. Genera in cluster I were generally positively correlated with each other and tended to co-occur, while genera in cluster II were subdivided into two small groups that were negatively correlated with the other group members. Mantel test showed that pH, nitrite and n-alkanes were potential determining factors influencing the overall community assembly. This study provides valuable insights into the chemical changes and microbial taxonomy in a complex petroleum refinery wastewater treatment system, establishing a foundation for further studies on the community regulation strategies within similar biotreatment systems.

Bio-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles and sunlight-driven photocatalysis for environmentally-friendly and sustainable route of synthetic petroleum refinery wastewater treatment

The design of a green photocatalytic system that harnesses renewable and eco-friendly constituents holds the potential to offer valuable insights into alternative strategies for treating toxic multi-components in refinery water effluents. A significant challenge in implementing a practical and viable approach is the utilization of solar energy—an abundant, natural, and cost-effective resource—for photochemical processes within advanced oxidation processes. In this study, we explored the use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) as photocatalyst prepared via an environmentally friendly synthesis approach, resulting in the formation of crystalline wurtzite nanoparticles, with an average size of about 14 nm relatively spherical in shape. Notably, the extract derived from Moringa oleifera was employed in this investigation. These nanoparticles were characterized and validated using various characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. For comparison, conventionally synthesized ZnO NPs were also included in the evaluations. The findings reveal that, under illumination, biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit photocatalytic performance in effectively breaking down the organic compounds present in synthetic petroleum wastewater. Photochemical analysis further illustrates the degradation efficiency of Green-ZnO, which, within 180 min of irradiation resulted in 51%, 52%, 88%, and 93% of removal for Phenol, O-Cresol. Under optimal loading conditions, NPs produced via the green synthesis approach perform better when compared to chemically synthesized ZnO. This significant improvement in photocatalytic activity underscores the potential of eco-friendly synthesis methods in achieving enhanced water treatment efficiency.

Electrocoagulation Coupled Fenton Process for Treating Refinery Wastewater Using a Cylindrical Design of Ti and Al Electrodes

Due to the serious wizards that industrial waste causes to humans, animals, and plants, besides the fact that wastewater from refineries contains many harmful compounds and that this type of industry is prevalent in most countries, the issue of protecting the environment from industrial waste is importance at the recent time. The organic contaminants elimination from the wastewater connected with the Iraqi refinery at Qayyarah served as our case study. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) was the organic contaminants measure. A titanium electrode (cathode) and an aluminum electrode (anode) were combined with the electrocoagulation and Photo-Fenton-processes. Using a Mini Tab program, the Taguchi method Utilizing statistical techniques, successfully obtained the outcomes and final values. The most effective removal of COD was 90.148. With a standard deviation of 2.651, the best conditions for this experiment were as follows: The time required to achieve this removal efficiency was 50 minutes, 8 pH, 400 mg/L of hydrogen peroxide, 20 mg/L of ferrous sulfate, and a current density of 15 mA cm-2. Through ANOVA analysis of this process, it was found that the current density (C.D.) significantly influenced the removal efficiency, affecting it by 47.79%, followed by the electrolytic solution effect by 18.31%, and the hydrogen peroxide and ferrous sulfate concentrations effect by 12.55% and 2.36%, respectively. Also, a mathematical equation was found to describe the studied case. The reaction kinetics were also investigated, and the reaction rate constant (cm/s) was determined at ideal conditions, with km = 6.60546 x 10-5.

Efficient wastewater treatment in petroleum refineries: Hybrid electro-fenton and photocatalysis (UV/ZnO) process

In this study, a new hybrid system composed of a photo-catalysis (UV/ZnO) process combined with an electro-Fenton (EF) process equipped with a micro porous graphite air diffusion cathode (MPGADC) was used to treat petroleum refinery wastewater (PRW). The hybrid system was operated in a batch recycle mode and its performance was investigated and optimized using a response surface methodology (RSM). Three operating parameters affecting on the removal efficiency (RE%) of chemical oxygen demand (COD) were investigated including current density (2–10 mA/cm2), ZnO dosage (0.05–0.35 g/L), and Fe2+concentration (0.05–0.15 mM). Results showed that the optimum operating conditions can be achieved using a current density of 6.44 mA/cm2, with ZnO dosage of 0.35 g/L, and concentration of Fe2+ ions at 0.05 mM in which RE% of 90.15% was obtained with requiring a total electrical energy consumption (EECT) of 19.102KWh/m3. Furthermore, analysis of variance (ANOVA) exhibited a high value of determination coefficient (R2) close to 98.24% indicating a satisfactory fit between the obtained regression model and the experimental results. Moreover, ANOVA results revealed that current density has the most significant effect on RE% with a contribution of 52.41% followed by ZnO dosage and Fe2+ concentration both of them with a contribution of 11.64%. The comparison between the individual photo-catalysis process and hybrid process showed that RE% increases from 77.83% to 90.15% making an enhancement by 15.83% in RE% while EECT decreased from 27.171to 19.102KWh/m3 making a reduction by 29.7% in EECT. Hence, combining EF with photo-catalysis process improves the efficiency and reduced the required energy in comparison with the individual photo-catalysis process. Therefore, the combined process could be considered as an alternative, sustainable, green and cost-effective method for treatment of refinery wastewaters.

Construction of PVC/PVA WO3 3D Nanostructure Thin Film Nanocomposite for Treatment of Oil Refinery Wastewater

Construction of PVC/PVA WO3 3D Nanostructure Thin Film Nanocomposite for Treatment of Oil Refinery Wastewater

Recent Advancements in the Treatment of Petroleum Refinery Wastewater

The treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater (PRWW) is of great interest in industrial wastewater management. This wastewater contains a diverse concentration of contaminants such as oil and grease, petroleum hydrocarbons, phenols, ammonia, and sulfides, as well as other organic and inorganic composites. Refinery wastewater treatment has been attempted through various processes, including physical, biological, chemical, and hybrid methods, which combine two or more techniques. This review aims to summarize current research studies involved in the treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater using conventional, advanced, and integrated treatment techniques. Furthermore, it critically highlights the efficiencies and major limitations of each technique and the prospects for improvements. Several conventional treatment techniques (basically, the physicochemical and biological processes) are discussed. In this context, advanced oxidation processes (AoPs), especially electrochemical oxidation and photocatalysis, as well as integrated/hybrid processes are found to be effective in removing the recalcitrant fraction of organic pollutants through their various inherent mechanisms. These techniques could effectively remove COD and phenol concentrations with an average removal efficiency exceeding 90%. Hence, the review also presents an elaborate discussion of the photocatalytic process as one of the advanced techniques and highlights some basic concepts to optimize the degradation efficiency of photocatalysts. Finally, a brief recommendation for research prospects is also presented.

Construction of a magnetic BiOBr-rGO-ZnFe2O4 heterojunction photocatalyst for refinery wastewater treatment under simulated solar light

Considering the importance of sunlight as a free, abundant, and sustainable source of energy, in this paper, first, the removal of phenol from model refinery wastewater under simulated solar light was studied. Then magnetic BiOBr-rGO-ZnFe2O4 photocatalyst with different percentages of BiOBr (0, 30, 45, and 55 %) was synthesized and evaluated in degradation of phenol under simulated solar light. The results showed that the sample containing 45 % wt. of BiOBr was the most active and after 3 h, it succeeded in removing 94 % of the phenol from a 20-ppm phenol solution. The characteristics of the synthesized photocatalysts were analyzed by XRD, BET-BJH, UV–Vis DRS, PL, FESEM, TEM, and EDX analyses. The results showed that by increasing the weight percentage of BiOBr from 30 % to 55 %, the crystal size of BiOBr increased from 22 to 29 nm. FESEM analysis showed that with the increasing amount of BiOBr, more lamellar structures were observed in the sample, and in the sample containing 45 % BiOBr, these structures became flower-like. However, with a further increase in the percentage of BiOBr to 55 %, thick and stacked sheet structures were formed, which resulted in the reduction of porosity and surface area according to BET-BJH analysis. According to PL analysis, the addition of BiOBr to rGO-ZnFe2O4 reduced the rate of recombination of charge carriers. However, increasing the weight percentage of BiOBr declined the light absorption and shifted the absorption edge towards the ultraviolet region. The effect of operational parameters such as pH, amount of photocatalyst, initial concentration of phenol, light intensity, and the presence of oxidant as well as the stability of the selected photocatalytic sample was evaluated. Studying the effect of scavengers also showed that the most active species that degrade phenol are the holes formed on the surface of the BiOBr-rGO-ZnFe2O4 photocatalyst.