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Sequential Anaerobic/Aerobic Treatment of Dye-Containing Wastewaters: Colour and COD Removals, and Ecotoxicity Tests

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology volume 166, pages 1057–1069 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Colour and COD removals of the azo dyes Congo Red (CR) and Reactive Black 5 (RB5) were individually evaluated in a sequential anaerobic/aerobic treatment system. Additionally, dye toxicity was assessed by using acute ecotoxicity tests with Daphnia magna as the indicator-organism. The anaerobic reactor was operated at approximately 27 °C and with hydraulic retention times of 12 and 24 h. The aerobic reactor was operated in batch mode with a total cycle of 24 h. During anaerobic step, high colour removals were obtained, 96.3% for CR (400 mg/L) and 75% for RB5 (200 mg/L). During the aerobic phase, COD effluent was considerably reduced, with an average removal efficiency of 52% for CR and 85% for RB5, which resulted in an overall COD removal of 88% for both dyes. Ecotoxicity tests with CR revealed that the anaerobic effluent presented a higher toxicity compared with the influent, and an aerobic post-treatment was not efficient in reducing toxicity. However, the results with RB5 showed that both anaerobic and aerobic steps could decrease dye toxicity, especially the aerobic phase, which removed completely the toxicity in D. magna. Therefore, the anaerobic/aerobic treatment is not always effective in detoxifying dye-containing wastewaters, sometimes even increasing dye toxicity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico–CNPq, an organization of the Brazilian Government for the development of Science and Technology, for the Master’s and PhD scholarships and financial support (Process 470310/2007-3 from Edital Universal).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

    Marcos Erick Rodrigues da Silva, Paulo Igor Milen Firmino, Márcia Rodrigues de Sousa & André Bezerra dos Santos

  2. Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará, Campus Sobral, Sobral, Ceará, Brazil

    Marcos Erick Rodrigues da Silva

  3. Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Ceará, Campus do Pici, Bloco 713. Pici, CEP: 60455-900, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

    André Bezerra dos Santos

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  1. Marcos Erick Rodrigues da Silva
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  2. Paulo Igor Milen Firmino
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  3. Márcia Rodrigues de Sousa
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  4. André Bezerra dos Santos
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Correspondence to André Bezerra dos Santos.

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da Silva, M.E.R., Firmino, P.I.M., de Sousa, M.R. et al. Sequential Anaerobic/Aerobic Treatment of Dye-Containing Wastewaters: Colour and COD Removals, and Ecotoxicity Tests. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 166, 1057–1069 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-011-9493-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-011-9493-7

Keywords

  • Anaerobic/aerobic treatment
  • Azo dyes
  • Reductive decolourisation
  • Toxicity
  • Daphnia magna