Experimental Design for Optimal Removal of PAH from Crude Oil Waste using Aerobic Bioreactor

Abstract

Crude oil waste contains recalcitrant pollutants and bioreactors offer a significant mechanism for the removal of these pollutants. The present work is concerned with the finding of the optimum conditions for removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using bioreactors from crude oil sludge. The Box-Wilson method of experimental design was adopted to establish relationships between three operating variables (dosage of oxygen, PAHs concentration and pH) that affect the treatment process. The experimental data were successfully fitted to a second-order polynomial mathematical model which was used to optimize the treatment process in discontinuous mode at laboratory scale. The most favorable operating condition for the treatment include; oxygen dosage (0.4g), PAHs concentration (20mg/L) and pH (6). On using the optimum conditions, a mathematical model simulating the treatment process was obtained. The results show that the bioreactor is very effective in removing PAH from crude oil sludge.