Coupling Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption with Membrane Filtration for Chemical Oxygen Demand Removal from High Strength Wastewater

Abstract

Combined granular activated carbon adsorption with membrane filtration for high strength wastewater treatment have been carried out. Raw oleo-chemical wastewater and leachate were used as sample. Ultrafiltration is also relatively low cost, easy to backwash and operates up to 3 barg. Experiment was carried out by passing through the sample to an adsorption column for 10 minutes followed by membrane filtration at different transmembrane pressure of 1, 2 and 3 barg. Oleo-chemical samples were analysed for chemical oxygen demand, turbidity, suspended solid and leachate samples were analysed for chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen according to APHA method. Results showed that the best chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids and turbidity removal for oleo-chemical samples achieved at 2 bar with 64%, 93% and 97%, respectively. Leachate showed the best removal of chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen achieved at 3 bar, with 76% and 87%, respectively. The adsorption process combined with membrane filtration is feasible as an alternative for conventional biological treatment for high strength wastewater. However, GAC exhaustive breakthrough point requires monitoring.