Two-step treatment of harmful industrial wastewater: an analysis of microbial reactor with integrated membrane retention for benzene and toluene removal

Abstract Standards for highly toxic and carcinogenic pollutants impose strict guidelines, requiring values close to zero, regarding the degradation of such pollutants in industrial streams. In many cases, classic bioremoval processes fail. Therefore, we proposed a stream leaving the microbial membrane bioreactor (MBR) that is directed to an additional membrane separation mode (NF/RO). Under certain conditions, the integrated process not only benefits the environment but may also increase the profitability of the bioreactor operation. An appropriate model was developed and tested in which the bioremoval of benzene and toluene by Pseudomonas fluorescens was used as an example. This paper presents equations for selecting the operation parameters of the integrated system to achieve the expected degree of industrial wastewater purification.