Effect of carbon source on biological treatment of artificial leather wastewater

In the present study, the aerobic biodegradation of artificial leather wastewater containing dimethylamine (DMA) by activated sludge using glucose and methanol as the two different co-substrates was evaluated. The raw wastewater with initial COD of 5300 mg/l and volume fractions of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 with constant values of added glucose and methanol comprised the carbon source and the mixed culture was grown to the late logarithmic phase after 3 days incubation. The COD removal efficiencies for three mentioned substrate contents were 97.8%, 61.3%, 24.3%; 65%, 60%, 34%; and 93.1%, 76.6%, 72.1% for glucose, methanol and the sole wastewater as the carbon sources, respectively. The experimental data suggest that aerobic biodegradation may have applications for biodegradation of DMA containing wastewaters.

Keywords:

Dimethylamine , Aerobic biodegradation , Artificial leather wastewater , Chemical oxygen demand , Removal efficiency