Removal of Manganese from synthetic wastewater with Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) systems

Abstract

Nowadays, the population is increasing as a result, there is more demand for consumer goods and transportation. At the same time, the industry needs to expand its production base to meet the needs of the population. It causes pollution and heavy metal contaminants in the wastewater that is harmful to life and the environment. One of the dangerous heavy metals is manganese. Therefore, the researcher is interested in studying the removal of manganese from wastewater to reduce toxicity before it is released into the environment. The objective of this research was to study manganese removal efficiency with a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) system using bio-sludge from an excess bio-sludge storage tank of a central sewage treatment plant, Bangkok, Thailand (Sripaya plant). It is the microbial sludge from the activated sludge treatment system type of stabilization. SRB system is a biological treatment system that requires less treatment space and low cost because the aeration system and the sedimentation tank are the same tank. For manganese-contaminated wastewater, it is the smooth synthetic wastewater from metal castings industry. The results showed that the SBR system was oxic: anoxic under hydraulic retention time (HRT) at 3 days and mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) at 2,000 mg/L was able to remove up to 96.1% of manganese. It was also able to remove 95.2%, 94.3%, and 92.0% of BOD, COD, and TKN, respectively.