Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Removal of Monoethylene Glycol from Gas Field Wastewater Using Aspergillus tubingensis and a New Bioreactor

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Waste and Biomass Valorization Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Monoethylene glycol (MEG) is used in the oil and gas industry to prevent freezing along well-to-refinery natural-gas transmission lines. Once the gas reaches the refinery, the MEG is then separated from the gas. In this process MEG is introduced to the refinery wastewater, making it extremely polluted and hazardous to the aquatic environment. Therefore, it is important to remove this substance from refinery wastewaters. This study examined the use of a microorganism in a glass reactor to remove MEG from wastewater generated at South Pars Gas Field Phase 4, Bushehr, Iran. A novel reactor satisfying the experimental conditions was built. The microorganism Aspergillus tubingensis was isolated from wastewater containing MEG and identified using a polymerized chain reaction buffer. The microorganism was fixed on a packed bed and transported to the glass reactor. Sampling and measurements of chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH values, and MEG concentration were performed at different periods. After 240 h, a 65 % decrease in COD was achieved and MEG concentration was reduced by more than 40 %.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Esmaeili, A., Sadeghi, E.: The efficiency of Penicillium commune for bioremoval of industrial oil. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 11, 1271–1276 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Aguilar-Arteaga, K., Rodriguez, J., Barrado, E.: Magnetic solids in analytical chemistry: a review. Anal. Chim. Acta 674(2), 157–165 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ghogare, P., Gupta, S.: Degradation of mono ethylene glycol by few selected microorganisms and developed microbial consortium. Int. J. Microbiol. Res 3(2), 93–98 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Akar, S.T., Akar, T., Çabuk, A.: Decolorization of a textile dye, Reactive Red 198 (RR198), by Aspergillus parasiticus fungal biosorbent. Braz. J. Chem. Eng. 26(2), 399–405 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Esmaeili, A., Fazeli, S.: Investigation of biodegradation of an aromatic compound in industrial waste water. Rom. J. Biochem. 49(2), 153–161 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Esmaeili, A., Kalantari, M.: Bioremoval of an azo textile dye, Reactive Red 198, by Aspergillus flavus. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 28(3), 1125–1131 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Lanouette, K.: Treatment of phenolic wastes. Chem. Eng. 84(22), 99–106 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Chehregani, A., Malayeri, B.E.: Removal of heavy metals by native accumulator plants. Int. J. Agric. Biol. 9(3), 462–465 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Fusey, P., Oudot, J.: Relative influence of physical removal and biodegradation in the depuration of petroleum-contaminated seashore sediments. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 15(4), 136–141 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wood, J.: Microbial fermentation of lower terpenoids. Process Biochem. 2, 50–52 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cuny, P., Faucet, J., Acquaviva, M., Bertrand, J.C., Gilewicz, M.: Enhanced biodegradation of phenanthrene by a marine bacterium in presence of a synthetic surfactant. Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 29(4), 242–245 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kachuei, R., Yadeghari, M.H., Rezaie, S., Allameh, A., Naser, S., Farideh, Z., Fatemeh, K.Y.: Investigation of stored wheat mycoflora, reporting the Fusarium cf. langesethiae in three provinces of Iran during 2007. Ann. Microbiol. 59(2), 383–390 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Zope, V., Kulkarni, M., Chavan, M.: Biodegradation of synthetic textile dyes reactive red 195 and reactive green 11 by Aspergillus niger grp: an alternative approach. J. Sci. Ind. Res. 66(5), 411–414 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Adams, R.P.: Identification of essential oils by ion trap mass spectroscopy. Academic Press, Waltham (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Dadpour, B., Shafahi, A., Monzavi, S.M., Zavar, A., Afshari, R., Khoshdel, A.R.: Snakebite prognostic factors: leading factors of weak therapeutic response following snakebite envenomation. Asia Pac. J. Med. Toxicol. 1(1), 27–33 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bossert, I., Bartha, R.: The fate of petroleum in soil ecosystems. In: Atlas, R.M. (ed.) Petroleum microbiology, pp. 435–473. MacMillan, New York (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Leahy, J.G., Colwell, R.R.: Microbial degradation of hydrocarbons in the environment. Microbiol. Rev. 54(3), 305–315 (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Atlas, R.M., Bartha, R.: Microbial ecology: fundamentals and applications. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Walker, J., Colwell, R.R.: Microbial degradation of model petroleum at low temperatures. Microb. Ecol. 1(1), 63–95 (1974)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Verstraete, W., Vanloocke, R., DeBorger, R., ve Verlinde, A.: Modelling of the breakdown and the mobilization of hydrocarbons in unsaturated soil layers. In: Sharpley, J.M. and Kaplan, A.M. (eds.) Proceeding of the 3rd International Biodegradation Symposium, pp. 99–112. Applied Science Publishers, London (1976)

  21. Spain, J.C., Pritchard, P., Bourquin, A.: Effects of adaptation on biodegradation rates in sediment/water cores from estuarine and freshwater environments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 40(4), 726–734 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Esmaeili, A., Fazeli, S., Moazami, N.: Microbial transformation of α-naphthol by Aspergillus niger–PTCC 5011. Herba Polon. 58(2), 38 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Verma, P., Madamwar, D.: Comparative study on transformation of azo dyes by different white rot fungi. Indian J. Biotechnol. 1, 393–396 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, PO Box 19585/936, Tehran, Iran

    Akbar Esmaeili & Kamran Loghmani

Authors
  1. Akbar Esmaeili
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kamran Loghmani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akbar Esmaeili.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Esmaeili, A., Loghmani, K. Removal of Monoethylene Glycol from Gas Field Wastewater Using Aspergillus tubingensis and a New Bioreactor. Waste Biomass Valor 7, 151–156 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-015-9430-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-015-9430-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation