Abstract
Removal of toxic Cr(VI) by activated sludge and DOM derived from activated sludge was investigated in this study. A rapid increase in TOC concentration from 50.93 to 127.40 mg L−1 is observed during the Cr(VI) removal process by activated sludge in the pH range of 2–9. Removal efficiencies of Cr(VI) by either activated sludge or DOM greatly decreased with the increasing initial pH. Kinetics of Cr(VI) removal by activated sludge indicate that both biosorption and bioreduction are involved in the Cr(VI) removal. Cr(VI) removal by DOM is slow in dark, but it is greatly enhanced when UV light is applied. The first-order constant increases from 0.0033 (in dark) to 0.079 min−1 (UV illumination) at pH 2.0 and 1068 mg L−1 DOM. The enhancement of Cr(VI) reduction is due to the generation of the reactive intermediates such as O2 ●_ and DOM* as DOM absorbed light energy, which plays important roles in the reduction of Cr(VI).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.References
Aksu Z, Akin AB (2010) Comparison of Remazol Black B biosorptive properties of live and treated activated sludge. Chem Eng J 165:184–93
Barnhart J (1997) Occurrences, uses, and properties of chromium. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 26:S3–7
Barrera-Díaz CE, Lugo-Lugo V, Bilyeu B (2012) A review of chemical, electrochemical and biological methods for aqueous Cr(VI) reduction. J Hazard Mater 223–224:1–12
Chen JP, Yang L (2005) Chemical modification of Sargassum sp. for prevention of organic leaching and enhancement of uptake during metal biosorption. Ind Eng Chem Res 44:9931–42
Chen SY, Huang SW, Chiang PN, Liu JC, Kuan WH, Huang JH, Hung JT, Tzou YM, Chen CC, Wang MK (2011) Influence of chemical compositions and molecular weights of humic acids on Cr(VI) photo-reduction. J Hazard Mater 197:337–44
Dalrymple RM, Carfagno AK (2010) Correlations between dissolved organic matter optical properties and quantum yields of singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Environ Sci Technol 44:5824–9
Gaberell M, Chin YP, Hug SJ, Sulzberger B (2003) Role of dissolved organic matter composition on the photoreduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) in the presence of iron. Environ Sci Technol 37:4403–9
Han X, Wong YS, Wong MH, Tam NFY (2007) Biosorption and bioreduction of Cr(VI) by a microalgal isolate, Chlorella miniata. J Hazard Mater 146:65–72
Han X, Wong YS, Wong MH, Tam NFY (2008) Feasibility of using microalgal biomass cultured in domestic wastewater for the removal of chromium pollutants. Water Environ Res 80:647–53
Hsu LC, Wang SL, Tzou YM (2007) Photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) in the presence of NO3 − and Cl− electrolytes as influenced by Fe(III). Environ Sci Technol 41:7907–14
Hsu LC, Wang SL, Lin YC, Wang MK, Chiang PN, Liu JC, Kuan WH, Chen CC, Tzou YM (2010) Cr(VI) removal on fungal biomass of Neurospora crassa: the importance of dissolved organic carbons derived from the biomass to Cr(VI) reduction. Environ Sci Technol 44:6202–8
Huang SW, Chiang PN, Liu JC, Hung JT, Kuan WH, Tzou YM, Wang SL, Huang JH, Chen CC, Wang MK, Loeppert RH (2012) Chromate reduction on humic acid derived from a peat soil—exploration of the activated sites on HAs for chromate removal. Chemosphere 87:587–94
Imai A, Fukushima T, Matsushige K, Kim YH, Chio K (2002) Characterization of dissolved organic matter in effluents from wastewater treatment plants. Water Res 36:859–70
Kim EJ, Park SJ, Hong HJ, Choi YE, Yang JW (2011) Biosorption of chromium [Cr(III)/Cr(VI)] on the residual microalga, Nannochloris oculata, after lipid extraction for biodiesel production. Bioresour Technol 102:11155–60
Kotas J, Stasicka Z (2000) Chromium occurrence in the environment and methods of its speciation. Environ Pollut 107:263–83
Kuśmierczak J, Anielak P, Rajski Ł (2012) Long-term cultivation of an aerobic granular activated sludge. Electr J of Pol Agricult Univer 15:1–10
Laurent J, Casellas M, Dagot C (2009a) Heavy metals uptake by sonicated activated sludge: relation with floc surface properties. J Hazard Mater 162:652–60
Laurent J, Casellas M, Pons MN, Dagot C (2009b) Flocs surface functionality assessment of sonicated activated sludge in relation with physico-chemical properties. Ultrason Sonochem 16:488–94
Lin YC, Wang SL, Shen WC, Huang PM, Chiang PN, Liu JC, Chen CC, Tzou YM (2009) Photo-enhancement of Cr(VI) reduction by fungal biomass of Neurospora crassa. Appl. Catal. B: Environ 92:294–300
Park D, Yun YS, Park JM (2004a) Reduction of hexavalent chromium with the brown seaweed Ecklonia biomass. Environ Sci Technol 38:4860–4864
Park D, Yun YS, Jo JH, Park JM (2005) Mechanism of hexavalent chromium removal by dead fungal biomass of Aspergillus niger. Water Res 39:533–40
Park D, Lim SR, Yun YS, Park JM (2007) Reliable evidences that the removal mechanism of hexavalent chromium by natural biomaterials is adsorption-coupled reduction. Chemosphere 70:298–305
Sheng GP, Xu J, Luo HW, Li WW, Li WH, Yu HQ, Xie Z, Wei SQ, Hu FC (2013) Thermodynamic analysis on the binding of heavy metals onto extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of activated sludge. Water Res 47:607–14
Vogel M, Gunther A, Rossberg A, Li B, Bernhard G, Raff J (2010) Biosorption of U(VI) by the green algae Chlorella vulgaris independence of pH value and cell activity. Sci Total Environ 409:384–95
Wang XJ, Xia SQ, Chen L, Zhao JF, Chovdon JM (2006) Biosorption of cadmium (II) and lead (II) ions from aqueous solutions onto dried activated sludge. J Environ Sci 18:840–4
Wittbrodt PR, Palmer CD (1996) Reduction of Cr(VI) by soil humic acids. Eur J Soil Sci 47:151–62
Wu J, Zhang H, He PJ, Yao Q, Shao LM (2010) Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution by dried activated sludge biomass. J Hazard Mater 176:697–703
Yan G, Viraraghavan T (2008) Mechanism of biosorption of heavy metals by Mucor rouxii. Eng Life Sci 8:363–71
Yan M, Korshin G, Wang D, Cai Z (2012) Characterization of dissolved organic matter using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with a multiple wavelength absorbance detector. Chemosphere 87:879–85
Zhang H, Tang Y, Cai DQ, Liu XN, Wang XQ, Huang Q, Yu ZL (2010) Hexavalent chromium removal from aqueous solution by algal bloom residue derived activated carbon: Equilibrium and kinetic studies. J Hazard Mater 181:801–8
Acknowledgments
We greatly acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41003040, 41201487, and 41373114), the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin (No. 15JCZDJC40200), and the Open Funding Project of the Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
ESM 1
(DOCX 189 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gong, YF., Song, J., Ren, HT. et al. Comparison of Cr(VI) removal by activated sludge and dissolved organic matter (DOM): importance of UV light. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 18487–18494 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5182-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5182-3