Biodegradation of Aromatic Amine Compounds Using Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors

Three moving bed biofilm reactors were used to treat synthesized wastewater of aromatic amine compounds including aniline, para-diaminobenzene and para-aminophenol that are found in many industrial wastewaters. The reactors with cylindrical shape had an internal diameter and an effective depth of 10 and 60 cm, respectively. The reactors were filled with light expanded clay aggregate as carriers and operated in an aerobic batch and continuous conditions. Evaluation of the reactors' efficiency was done at different retention time of 8, 24, 48 and 72 h with an influent COD from 100 to 3500 mg/L (filling ratio of 50%). The maximum obtained removal efficiencies were 90% (influent COD=2000 mg/L), 87% (influent COD=1000 mg/L) and 75% (influent COD=750 mg/L) for aniline, para-diaminobenzene and paraaminophenol, respectively. In the study of decrease in filling ratio from 50 to 30 percent, 6% decrease for both para-diaminobenzene and para-aminophenol and 7% increase for aniline degradation were obtained. The removal efficiency was decreased to about 10% after 15 days of continuous loading for each of the above three substrates. In the shock loading test, initially the COD removal rate was decreased in all reactors, but after about 10 days, it has been approached to the previous values. Finally, biodegradability of aromatic amines has been proved by nuclear magnetic resonance system.