Waste Water Treatment In

Antibiotic Industry

B. C MuthubharathiIII B.Sc., Biotechnology

Antibiotic industry• Induce bacterial resistant• Threat to water bodies• Recalcitrant to biological treatment• Complicated substances

Biological treatment-Why we are preferring?

• Low cost

•Highly effective•No side effects•Complete treatment

Potential of Biological process• Compounds are complicated –

• Organic substances• Soluble or colloidal substances• High level of solid substances

• Bio toxic substances•Non Biodegradable• Bacteriostatic antibiotic

Methods available(COD removal)• Hydrolytic acidification (36% - 55%)• UABS - Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed reactor (80% -

90%)• SBR - Sequence Batech Reactor (80% - 85%)• BAC - Biological Activated Carbon• RBC - Rotating Biological Conductors• AOP - Advanced Oxidation Process

RBC Rotating Biological Conductor• Efficient to remove waste water even at low temperature• Preferable for Municipal and Industrial waste water treatment

INFRASTRUCUTE• 3 stages• Rotating Biodiscs• Single shaft spanning• 1st stage – 12 discs• Discs – Light weight plastic

32cm in diameter 2cm spacing from neighboring discs

• Mounted on galvanized hollow metal shaft• 45% of discs submerged in liquid

Startup• Biofilms were grown naturally with activated sludge • Activated sludge was distributed evenly to the three basins • Wastewater was added into the basins at the same time• The concentration ratio of BOD5 : N : P : S in the cultivation

wastewater was maintained at 100 : 5 : 1 : 1• Disks were rotated for one day To allow microorganisms to attach to the surface of the discs.• In order to satisfy the nutrient needs of the microorganisms,

2/3 of the supernatant in the basins was replaced every day

Cont.•After one week of operation, biofilms 2-3 mm thick were formed•After the biofilms were fully formed, the RBC was run continuously• Temperature varied from 10°C to 16°C. The whole experiments lasted more than three months.

RESULT• The COD removal ratio was 70%–80% on average • Pharmaceutical wastewater was decreased from the initial 8% to 6% per day

Advantages• High concentration of microorganisms in good living and

reproducing status• High efficiency for degrading organic compounds• High suitable for fluctuation in flow rate and organic

concentration• Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification

accompanied by carbon removal, low water content• Easy operation• Low energy consumptions• Small land area