Organic Intermediates Effluent Treatment with Ammoniacal Nitrogen and COD Reduction

Introduction:

Effluent treatment in the organic intermediates industry presents significant challenges due to high levels of ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) removal and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction. These industrial effluents often arise from processes such as chemical synthesis, solvent washing, and product separation, resulting in a complex mix of contaminants. High ammoniacal nitrogen wastewater levels not only hinder biological wastewater treatment but also pose serious environmental compliance and regulatory challenges.

An organic intermediates production unit in Gujarat faced operational inefficiencies in its industrial effluent treatment plant (ETP), which used a combined anaerobic-aerobic wastewater treatment system. Persistent high TAN levels (>450 ppm) and COD levels (>20,000 ppm) hindered the plant’s ability to meet wastewater discharge standards.

Plant Details:

The Initial Approach:

A thorough wastewater site assessment and effluent characterization study were conducted. Key challenges identified included:

• High ammoniacal nitrogen toxicity, impacting biological treatment efficiency.
• Elevated COD concentration due to refractory organic pollutants.
• Poor activated sludge quality and microbial performance in the aerobic treatment process.
• Inadequate nitrification-denitrification process.

Effluent Treatability Study:

A laboratory-scale wastewater treatability study was performed using T1B Aerobio, a specialized microbial bioremediation solution, to evaluate its potential in addressing these challenges. The study focused on:

• TAN reduction through enhanced microbial nitrification and denitrification.
• COD biodegradation by targeting hard-to-degrade organic compounds.
• Sludge management improvement for better settling properties and reduced sludge carryover.

Microscopic analysis and batch reactor trials demonstrated significant microbial adaptation to high TAN and COD levels, validating the efficacy of T1B Aerobio for industrial wastewater treatment.

T1B Aerobio: Enhancing Treatment Performance

T1B Aerobio is a bioaugmentation technology featuring a specialized microbial consortium designed for high-strength industrial effluent treatment. Its robust microbial strains include nitrifiers and denitrifiers that efficiently convert ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrogen gas, while degrading persistent organic pollutants to achieve substantial COD removal efficiency.

Execution:

Plant Optimization:

• Adjusted aeration rates to maintain dissolved oxygen (DO) levels optimal for nitrification (2.5-3.0 mg/L).
• Improved hydraulic retention time (HRT) to enhance microbial degradation.

Dosing Regime:

A 60-day bioaugmentation dosing schedule was implemented:

• Phase 1 (Days 1-30): High initial dose for microbial seeding and system stabilization.
• Phase 2 (Days 31-60): Maintenance dose to sustain reductions in TAN and COD.

Monitoring Parameters:

• TAN and COD concentrations.
• Nitrate and nitrite levels during nitrification process.
• Sludge volume index (SVI) and microbial activity.

Observations:

The addition of T1B Aerobio microbial culture resulted in substantial improvements in ETP performance. Key observations are summarized below:

Results:

• TAN Removal Efficiency: Achieved a 92% reduction by Day 60, ensuring compliance with wastewater discharge limits.
• COD Removal Efficiency: Realized a 94% reduction, meeting industrial effluent discharge standards.
• Enhanced Nitrification Process: Consistently high nitrate formation rates indicated effective ammoniacal nitrogen removal.
• Improved Sludge Settling Characteristics: Reduced SVI values led to better sludge compaction and settling properties.

Graphical Insights:

• TAN and COD Reduction: Cylindrical charts illustrating the progressive decline in TAN and COD concentrations.
• Nitrification Efficiency: A line graph depicting the steady increase in nitrate levels over time.

Conclusion:

The application of T1B Aerobio in industrial effluent treatment significantly enhanced the performance of the organic intermediates industry’s ETP. Effective TAN and COD reduction, improved nitrification efficiency, and better sludge quality management ensured compliance with wastewater discharge norms while reducing environmental impact. This sustainable wastewater treatment solution supported the client’s corporate environmental responsibility (CER) goals and contributed to an eco-friendly wastewater management approach.

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