Evaluation of anaerobic treatment of selected petrochemical wastes

Anaerobic toxicity assays and biochemical methane potential studies were performed on three waste streams (acrylic acid, ethylene oxide and total wastes) from a petrochemical facility. The acrylic waste contained high concentrations (>350 mg l(-1) of acetic acid, acrylic acid, formaldehyde and benzaldehyde and low concentrations (<100 mg l(-1)) of allyl alcohol and acrolein. The oxide waste contained high concentrations (>950 mg l(-1)) of ethylene glycol, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde and low concentrations (<50 mg l(-1)) of other compounds. The total waste was the combination of all waste streams generated at the plant. Unacclimated anaerobic glucose-acetate enrichment culture and a culture acclimated to the acrylic waste were used. The oxide waste with total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations of about 1400 mg l(-1) was found to be readily degradable even without an acclimation period. The total waste showed no inhibition to the unacclimated glucose-acetate culture at a TOC concentration of about 250 mg l(-1); however, the culture was inhibited at a TOC concentration of about 450 mg l(-1). The acrylic waste caused inhibition at a TOC concentration of 269 mg l(-1) in the unacclimated culture. An acclimated culture degraded a TOC concentration of 223 mg l(-1) of the acrylic acid stream but was inhibited by a concentration of 643 mg l(-1). A reduced acrylic waste load with a significant portion of the acetic acid removed was degradable at a TOC concentration of 138 mg l(-1). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.