Effective scrap iron particles (SIP) pre-treatment for complete mineralization of benzidine based azo dye effluent

This study proposed that hybrid scrap cast iron particles (SIP)-aerobic biodegradation technology could enhance the biodegradability of toxic wastewater. SIP cleaved the azo linkages of Direct Green1 dye to form benzidine, 4-aminophenol, aniline and 1,2,7-triamino-8-hydroxynap thalene-3,6-disulfonic acid. SIP-mediated dye reduction was effective at wide pH range; however, kinetic analysis revealed fastest pseudo-first order dye reduction rate at acidic pH 3 (k(d) = 0.549 min(-1)) followed by pH 9 (k(d) = 0.383 min(-1)) and pH 7 (k(d) = 0.318 min(-1)). The daughter aromatic amines produced were partially adsorbed onto the SIP surface and maximally at neutral pH. The adsorption process followed pseudo-second order adsorption kinetics and Langmuir isotherm. Benzidine was adsorbed more than 4-aminophenol and aniline. BOD5 of the SIP-treated effluent increased from 0.93 to 12 mg/L showing improved biodegradability. The daughter amines were rapidly mineralized in the aerobic bioreactor within 6 h. Cost-effective SIP pre-treatment could accelerate mineralization and detoxification of recalcitrant wastewater. (C) 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.