Treatment of coal gasification wastewater by membrane bioreactor hybrid powdered activated carbon (MBR-PAC) system

A laboratory-scale membrane bioreactor hybrid powdered activated carbon (MBR-PAC) system was developed to treat coal gasification wastewater to enhance the COD, total phenols (TPh), NH4+ removals and migrate the membrane fouling. Since the MBR-PAC system operated with PAC dosage of 4 g the maximum removal efficiencies of COD, TPh and NH4+ reached 93%, 99% and 63%, respectively with the corresponding influent concentrations of 2.27 g L-1, 497 mg L-1 and 164 mg N L-1; the PAC extraction efficiencies of COD, TPh and NH4+ were 6%, 3% and 13%, respectively; the transmembrane pressure decreased 34% with PAC after 50 d operation. The results demonstrate that PAC played a key role in the enhancement of biodegradability and mitigation of membrane fouling. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.