Investigation of color removal from synthetic textile wastewater with nano material addition to activated sludge systems

In the present study the potential of using Magnetite/Activated Sludge (M/AS) process as a novel adsorption/biosorption hybrid system was investigated for the removal of Reactive RED 195 (RR195) from simulated textile. The characterization of the Magnetite was carried out by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transmission Infrared (FTIR) and Specific Surface Area analyzes. RR195 removal studies were performed with Magnetite and M/AS hybrid process separately. The adsorption mechanism of the RR195 onto magnetite was explained by Freundlich isotherm model (R2= 0.999). The maximum experimental adsorption capacity of magnetite for RR195 was calculated 65.28 mg/g. Different concentrations of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and the magnetite dosages were used simultaneously in M/AS hybrid process. The experiments showed that the RR195 removal efficiencies increased with increasing MLSS concentrations and the magnetite dosages. 4000 mg/L was determined as optimum MLSS concentration for the removal of the RR195 from simulated textile wastewater by M/AS hybrid process. While the RR195 removal efficiency was 76.10% by 4000 mg/L MLSS in 90 minutes, the efficiency increased to 99.5% with the addition of 0.5 gram magnetite to the activated sludge process. Chemical Oxygen Demand removal efficiency was determined as 94.32% by 1.0 g magnetite/4000 mg/L MLSS hybrid process. The magnetite particles can be easily separated from simulated textile wastewater after M/AS hybrid process treatment by applying magnetic field.