A Study of the Efficiency of Power Generation and Water Treatment in the Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells (SMFC)

The Sediment microbial Fuel Cell (SMFC) has been studied in terms of electrical power generation, and water treatment. With the aim to design the Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell (SMFC), the sediment was brought from the Al-sonobar River bed, where it was described to indicate the organic content and nutrients in it. The cell was equipped with a surface aeration system and started working in it. Where it monitored the electrical current and water pollution indicators over time. Later the aeration mode was changed and previous measurements of electricity generation, water pollution indicators were carried out, and compared with the previous stage. Results of the first mode of aeration have shown that the greatest value for Short Circuit Current (ISC) was (0.905) mA while the greatest value for Open Circuit Voltage (VOC) was (0.390) V. While a rise in current and voltage values was observed in the second mode of aeration, in which the greatest value of Short Circuit Current was (1.240) mA, and the greatest value of open circuit voltage (0.430) V. When the circuit has been connected to an external resistance R=100 Ω, the values for current, voltage, current density and power density were (0.805) mA, (0.084) V, (3.18) mA/m2, and (0.269) mW/m2, respectively. For water analysis, an increase in pH values of 8.90 was observed. The efficiency of removing of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), phosphates, nitrates and Total Dissolved Salts (TDS) has also increased, reaching: 72.11%, 62.70%, 35.60%, and 30.61%, respectively.

Using Fixed Bed Columns packed with natural zeolite to Removal heavy metals from Industrial wastewater of Banias Refinary

Fixed bed adsorption columns packed with natural zeolite were used to study the kinetics of heavy metals removal from the single component solutions of Vanadium, Nikle, Zinc, and Lead. The system parameters studied include solution flow rate and bed height. The effect of competing cations was also studied to establish the effectiveness of natural zeolite in treating Industrial wastewater under continuous conditions using fixed bed columns. The metal loaded natural zeolite was regenerated using NaCl . The results from column studies showed that the Slower flow rates gave better removal efficiencies compared to faster ones, Longer bed heights also resulted in greater adsorption efficiencies. The bed depth service time (BDST) model was successfully used to simulate experimental results at 30 % breakthrough. This model provides the necessary parameters needed for fixed bed column design, the factor R2 ranged between 0.91 – 0.95. Natural zeolite was exposed to 3 cycles of adsorption and desorption. The efficiency of the column in removing heavy metals was high, The results indicate that natural zeolite can be regenerated and re-used in removing heavy metals from solution.

Lead, Zinc Removal from Industrial wastewater using Syrian Natural Zeolite /phillipsite/ from southern Syria

The study was carried out on the sorption of heavy metals (Pb+2, Zn+2) under static conditions from single- and multicomponent aqueous solutions by Syrian Zeolite mineral extracted from south Syria. The removal has an ion-exchange nature and consists of three stages: the adsorption on the surface of microcrystals, the inversion stage, and the moderate adsorption in the interior of the microcrystal, The study showed that equilibrium time is 6 hours, and The slight difference between adsorption capacity of the Zeolite toward lead, zinc from single- and multicomponent solutions may testify to individual sorption centers of the zeolite for each metal. The maximum sorption capacity toward pb2+ is determined as 33.89 mg/g at an equilibrium concentration of 261.07 mg/L and toward Zn+2 as 29.18 mg/g at 309.818 mg/L. Langmuir and Freundlich Adsorption Isotherms were used to evaluate natural zeolite adsorption performance for Lead, Zinc. These Isotherms were able to provide suitable fit with experimental data, the factor R2 ranged between 0.95 – 0.99, with better fit to Langmuir Isotherm.

Using Natural Zeolite to Removal Vanadium, Nikle from Industrial wastewater

The study was carried out to remove of heavy metals (V+5, Ni+2) under static conditions from aqueous solutions by Syrian Zeolite mineral extracted from south of Syria. The results revealed that operational conditions such as initial solution pH and concentration, adsorbent particle size, the presence of competing cations, are able to affect the adsorption capacity and efficiency of natural zeolite.

Assessing the efficiency of Desalting unit and Treatment Plant in removing some heavy Metals from the Effluent Refinery of Banyas Company

This study aims to determine the concentrations of some heavy metals that are present in the crude oil and in liquid waste of the crude oil desalting unit .The extraction method (liquid-solid) is used for concentrating and extraction these compounds from the saltwater samples .Samples were collected from the unit’s discharging points and from the subsequent treatment stages .A suitable analytical method was used to extract these metals from both of crude oil and the oil refineries᾿ liquid wastes. The objective of this study is to observe the fate of these wastes from the discharging points of desalting unit and through physical – chemical – biological treatment stages and dawn to the receiving water (Mediterranean sea). The results showed that Syrian crude oil contains a combination of heavy metals which includes : (Vanadium – Nickel – Iron – Zinc – Manganese – Copper – Cadmium – Lead - Chromium and Cobalt) .Vanadium showed the highest concentration followed by Nickel and Iron subsequently ,the total efficiency of the treatment plant achieved the following efficiencies : 41.06% (Vanadium), 44.92% (Nickel) and 39.34% ( Iron) ,then the concentration of these discharges where compared with those in marine system to show the possible adverse effects of these compounds on the surrounding biosphere.

Treatment of Nitrate Contaminated Groundwater in Fluidized bed Reactor

Biological Denitrification process in anoxic fluidized bed reactor is a simple way to eliminate nitrate – nitrogen that pollute the groundwater. In this method the biofilm (including organic bacteria) was cultured on the reactor bed particles, which we chose granular activated carbon (1-3) mm. The raw water containing Nitrate ions and bacteria nutrients was pumped into the bottom of the reactor in an adequate velocity to fluidize the bed particles holding the biofilm. Ethanol and DeHydrogenated Sodium ortho phosphate was chosen as bacteria nutrients, Ethanol as carbonic nutrient and DeHydrogenated Sodium ortho phosphate as phosphoric nutrient.

Microbiological Purification of Wastewater Using Butomus

Water samples were collected three times a week to make chemical, physical and microbiological tests, in order to determine the role of Macrophytes in improving and enhancing domestic wastewater purification processes, by the means of providing the necessary oxygen for microorganisms; absorbing some metal elements and chemical ions in addition to adsorbing a portion of microorganisms on its surfaces. This will lead to the completion of water purification and mineralization processes. Necessary tests for evaluating the purification processes had been carried on raw and treated water for a period of 17 days each experiment, using special tanks previously made for this purpose. The results obtained confirmed the effective role of microorganisms in domestic wastewater treatment and water purification using macrophytes which were capable of providing the suitable conditions to motivate heterotrophic microorganisms, which are characterized by the ability to decompose the organic matter and its active oxidation, which affects the concentrations of nitrates, ammonium, suspended solids and electrical conductivity... Etc. Tests results clearly confirm the positive effect of Macrophytes as Butomus umbellatus on enhancing purification processes and activating the organic matter mineralization by microorganisms.

Photocatalytic degradation of phenolic acids In olive mills wastewater

Phenolic compounds are known to be present in high concentration in various of agro industrial wastes such as olive mill wastewater. As they are highly biorecalcitrant a possible treatment by Advanced Oxidation Processes has to be investigated. The photocatalytic degradation of the phenolic acids p-Hydroxybenzoic acid, Dihydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid) in the presence of TiO2 deposit on a glass plate has been reported. A comparison for the adsorption properties and the kinetics of reaction have been studied. The kinetics were found to be first order for all compounds and were compared with the compounds’ structures. The reaction rate for the compounds was found as the order Di-HBA < GA < p-HBA ≈ SA ≈ VA. The influence on the photdegradation rate of various parameters as pH, and substrate’s concentration was studied for p-Hydroxybenzoic acid only. It was found that the reaction is pH and substrate’s concentration dependence. A removal efficiency (50-70%) was determined after 5hr using UVlamp (15W- λ=360nm) and it increased up to 95% when H2O2 was added.

Synergy of Carboxylic Acids with Builders used in Powdered Detergents

Mixtures of polycarboxylic acids and their salts with sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium pyrophosphate have been investigated in the presence of ammonium oxalate and sodium carbonate. Some of these mixtures demonstrated good chelating power synergy and some mixures inhibited the chelating power of the individual components from which the mixures composed of. The chelating power synergy of some mixtures can be used for enhancing the function of the builders and consequently decrease the weight of the detergent meanwhile the inhibition of the chelating power in the other mixtures can be used for precipitating their components in the treated water in optimum conditions. It is worth to mention that the chelating powers of sodium tripolyphsphate and citric acid increased as many as 3-88 times by changing some experimental conditions.

Decolourization of Textile Industry Wastewater by the Photocatalytic degradation process. «Part 2»

During the past few years attention has been drawn on chemical techniques that could be used to discolour textile wastewaters. We have studied the photocatalytic degradation of various dyes (Methyl orange, Azo carmine B, Coomassie Brilliant blue G250, Tartrazine, Calcon, Eriochrome blue SE, Solamine Red 4BL, Bismarck brown Y(G), Methylen blue, Black 5, Red 120, Morin) using TiO2 P25 Degussa as catalyst. All dye solutions underwent a decolourization. The kinetics of reaction have been studied and were found to be zero or first order with respect to the dye. It was compared with the adsorption properties. The effect of the addition of hydrogen peroxide has been studied. An enhancement of the rate has been observed in all cases and the order with respect to the dye's concentration in presence of the additive seemed not to change. It is difficult to give general view of the kinetics using these very different dyes but the process was found to be effective for the decolourization of textile wastewater.