Characterization and biological treatment of pickling industry wastewater

Pickling industry wastewaters present unique difficulties in biological treatment because of high salt content (3-6% salt). Conventional activated sludge cultures disintegrate or loose microbial activity as a result of plasmolysis at salt concentrations above 1%. In order to overcome adverse effects of salt in pickling wastewater, salt tolerant bacteria (Halobacter halobium) was added to activated sludge culture and used in biological treatment of the wastewater in an activated sludge unit. After characterization and nutrient balancing of the wastewater, an activated sludge unit was used in laboratory to investigate the effects of major process variables such as sludge age and hydraulic residence time on performance of the system. Single stage and two stage activated processes were used for the treatment of the pickling wastewater. More than 95% of COD removal was obtained with a single stage process at a sludge age of theta (c) = 10 d and hydraulic residence time of theta (H) = 30 h. Similar results were obtained with the two stage process, when sludge ages and hydraulic residence times for each stage were theta (c1) = theta (c2) = 10 d, and theta (H1) = theta (H2) = 15 h, respectively. Kinetic coefficients were determined and the design equations were developed by using the experimental data.