Activated carbon adsorption and ozone treatment of a petrochemical wastewater

Activated carbon adsorption and ozonation were evaluated on a bench scale for the treatment of petrochemical wastewater for possible reuse in Saudi Petrochemical Company (SADAF), Al‐Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Batch adsorption studies indicated that low values of initial pH and temperature were favorable for adsorption, A non‐adsorbable portion of 49 to 27 percent of TOC was found to be ubiquitous to this specific wastewater. Ozonation studies were conducted by varying the experimental conditions such as, detention time, gas, flow rate, initial pH and temperature. The maximum reduction in terms of TOC and COD were 32.5 and 40 percent respectively, at a pH of 11.4 and a temperature of 60° C. Furthermore, the combined ozone and adsorption treatment was found to remove up to 81 percent of TOC.