Removal of nutrients from pulp and paper biorefinery effluent : operation, kinetic modelling and optimization by response surface methodology

Jagaba, Ahmad Hussaini and Kutty, Shamsul Rahman Mohamed and Naushad, Mu. and Lawal, Ibrahim Mohammed and Noor, Azmatullah and Affam, Augustine Chioma and Birniwa, Abdullahi Haruna and Abubakar, Sule and Soja, Usman Bala and Abioye, Kunmi Joshua and Bathula, Chinna (2022) Removal of nutrients from pulp and paper biorefinery effluent : operation, kinetic modelling and optimization by response surface methodology. Environmental Research, 214 (Part 4). 114091. ISSN 1096-0953 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.114091)

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Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of extended aeration system (EAS) and rice straw activated carbon-extended aeration system (RAC-EAS) in the treatment of pulp and paper biorefinery effluent (PPBE). RAC-EAS focused on the efficient utilization of lignocellulosic biomass waste (rice straw) as a biosorbent in the treatment process. The experiment was designed by response surface methodology (RSM) and conducted using a bioreactor that operated at 1–3 days hydraulic retention times (HRT) with PPBE concentrations at 20, 60 and 100%. The bioreactor was fed with real PPBE having initial ammonia-N and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations that varied between 11.74 and 59.02 mg/L and 31–161 mg/L, respectively. Findings from the optimized approach by RSM indicated 84.51% and 91.71% ammonia-N and 77.62% and 84.64% total phosphorus reduction in concentration for EAS and RAC-EAS, respectively, with high nitrification rate observed in both bioreactors. Kinetic model optimization indicated that modified stover models was the best suited and were statistically significant (R 2 ≥ 0.98) in the analysis of substrate removal rates for ammonia-N and total phosphorus. Maximum nutrients elimination was attained at 60% PPBE and 48 h HRT. Therefore, the model can be utilized in the design and optimization of EAS and RAC-EAS systems and consequently in the prediction of bioreactor behavior.

ORCID iDs

Jagaba, Ahmad Hussaini, Kutty, Shamsul Rahman Mohamed, Naushad, Mu., Lawal, Ibrahim Mohammed ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4130-9739, Noor, Azmatullah, Affam, Augustine Chioma, Birniwa, Abdullahi Haruna, Abubakar, Sule, Soja, Usman Bala, Abioye, Kunmi Joshua and Bathula, Chinna;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)