Sequential anaerobic-aerobic decolourization of a real textile wastewater in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor

This work describes the application of a solid-liquid two-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB) for the removal of colour from a real textile wastewater containing reactive azo-dyes. Four polymers were tested over the pH range of 4–9 to select the most effective absorbant to be used as the partitioning phase in the TPPB. The best results were obtained with Hytrel 8206 at pH4 achieving ~70% colour removal, based on the dominant wavelength, in the first 5h of contact time, and 84% after 24h. Wastewater treatment was undertaken in a solid-liquid TPPB operated with Hytrel 8206 in sequential anaerobic-aerobic configuration. The reaction time of 23h was equally distributed between the anaerobic and aerobic phases and, to favour colour uptake, the pH was controlled at 4.5 in the first 4h of the anaerobic phase, and then increased to 7.5. Colour removal (for the dominant wavelength, 536nm) increased from 70 to 85% by modifying the bioreactor operation from single-phase to TPPB mode. Based on COD measurements nearly complete biodegradation of the intermediates produced in the anaerobic phase was obtained, both in the single-phase and two-phase mode, with better performance of the TPPB system reaching 75% CODDye removal. [Display omitted] •A two-phase partitioning bioreactor is applied to treat real textile wastewater.•DuPont polymer Hytrel 8206 is effective in colour absorption reaching removal of 84%.•Low pHs favour the sorption process with equilibrium times ≤24h.•The polymer improves biological colour removal in the two-phase system.