Abstract
The activated sludge specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) and BOD5/COD ratios of biologically pretreated pharmaceutical wastewater were analyzed and compared to assess relative changes in biotreatability during ozonation at a rate of 7.4 g/(L × h) for 4 h. An appreciable COD removal (41%) was achieved by the initial biological treatment process, whereas ozonation was more effective in reducing the UV-sensitive aromatic compounds present in the pretreated effluent. Sequential treatment using activated sludge + ozonation processes resulted in an average COD removal efficiency of 48%, and a proceeding biotreatment stage increased the overall COD removal to 53%. An optimum ozone dose in the range of 1,854–3,708 mg/L corresponding to a specific ozone input rate of 0.23–0.46 mg O3/mg CODo existed where SOUR (3.7 × 10−3 mg O2/[mg MLSS × min] for ozonation at pH 8) and BOD5/COD (0.57) as well as the proceeding biological COD removal yield Y COD (average 8 mg COD/mg MLSS) exerted maximum values.
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Received: 24 November 2001/Accepted: 25 April 2002
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Arslan-Alaton, I., Akmehmet Balcioglu, I. Biodegradability Assessment of Ozonated Raw and Biotreated Pharmaceutical Wastewater. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 43, 0425–0431 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-002-1235-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-002-1235-y