Treatment of high strength pharmaceutical wastewaters in a Thermophilic Aerobic Membrane Reactor (TAMR)

In the present work we studied the thermophilic biological treatability of high strength liquid wastes from a pharmaceutical industry (rich in organic matter - COD: Chemical Oxygen Demand, nutrients and salinity). Different mixtures (with concentrations of COD, phosphorus and chloride up to 57,000 mg L-1, 2000 mg L-1 and 9000 mg L-1, respectively) were tested. The pilot plant used in this work was designed and built with dimensions comparable to a semi-industrial unit. The results are therefore representative for full-scale applications. During four months of experimentation, the pilot plant (TAMR - Thermophilic Aerobic Membrane Reactor) was operated at 49 +/- 1 degrees C and the organic loading rate was 1.5-5.5 kg(COD) m(-3) d(-1) with a hydraulic retention time of 5-10 days. Main results are the following: a) extremely high COD removal rate (up to 98%); b) very low sludge production (similar to 0.016 kg(VSS produced) kg(COD removed)(-1)); suitability as a pre-treatment to a conventional (e.g. activated sludge) biological treatment (the studied pharmaceutical industrial wastewaters are discharged into the sewer system for final polishing in a centralized municipal wastewater treatment plant) and d) high phosphorus removal (up to 99%). (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.