Treatment of VOCs in high strength wastes using an anaerobic expanded-bed GAC reactor

The potential of the expanded-bed granular activated carbon (GAC) anaerobic reactor in treating a high strength waste containing RCRA volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was studied. A total of six VOCs, methylene chloride, chlorobenzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, toluene and tetrachloroethylene, were fed to the reactor in a high strength matrix of background solvents. Performance was evaluated. The reactor was found to effect excellent removal of all VOCs (97%). Chloroform, while itself removed at levels in excess of 97%, was found to inhibit the degradation of acetate and acetone, two of the background solvents. Without any source of chloroform in the feed, excellent COD removals were obtained in addition to near-complete removal of all the VOCs.