Abstract
Effects of biodegradation of LAS on activated carbon were investigated to obtain some basic information on the combination of wastewater treatment process.
LAS (p-n-dodecylbenzenesulfonate) was subjected to biodegradation by shaking culture method using unacclimated activated sludge. Filtrate of these culture were put to adsorption equilibrium test on activated carbon. All tests were conducted at 25°C and the initial concentration of LAS was 30 mg/l. LAS was detected mainly as methylene blue active substance and total organic carbon.
LAS was biodegraded more easily when coexisting with degradable wastewater than when given as a sole carbon source. The adsorbability of LAS on activated carbon was lowered with the progress of biodegradation which decomposed the LAS molecule and produced some metabolites. The quantities of activated carbon necessary to remove LAS to a certain level increased in comparison with the case of considering concentration change of LAS only.
It was necessary to take the change of the chemical nature of LAS into account together with the concentration reduction during biodegradation to get an effective combination of LAS removal process.
