PVA Entrapped Activated Sludge Beads Coated With PAC for Bioremediating 4-Chlorophenol-Bearing Wastewater

Abstract

This study compares the effectiveness of powdered activated carbon (PAC) to adsorb 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) from wastewater via coated onto and homogenised into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) bead surface. The bioregeneration of spent PAC for repeated uses via entrapment with  4-CP  acclimated  biomass  of  activated  sludge  was  also  unveiled.  Results  showed  that  the  maximum  capacity  of  PAC  adsorbing  4-CP  was  0.2  g  4-CP/g  PAC.  It  was  confirmed  that  the  PAC  coated  onto  the  bead  surfaces  with  biomass  entrapment  could  be  used  for  eight  cycles  with  the  removal  efficiency  ranging  from  80-85%.  The  removal  rate  of  4-CP  was  best  fitted  by  the  pseudo-first-order  reaction  kinetic,  permitting  plausibly  projection  to  upscale  for  industrial  application  in  treating  wastewater  containing  chlorophenol  more effectively.