Chemicals Simulated Wastewater Biomass inoculum Mineral Medium

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3.1 Material

3.1.1 Chemicals

Table 3.1 Chemicals used in the present work Chemicals Supplier MW g∙mol -1 T m °C T b °C ρT = 25 °C g∙cm -3 MEA 99.8 Merk 61.08 10.3 170 1.012 DEA 98.0 R M Chemical 105.14 28.0 217 1.090 Hydrogen Peroxide H 2 O 2 30 by weight Merk 34 - - 1.11 Iron II Sulfate 7- hydrate FeSO 4 ;7H 2 O 99.5 – 104.5 HmbG Chemicals 278.2 - - 1.04 Potassium Permanganate KMnO 4 Merk Sulfuric Acid H 2 SO 4 Systerm 98.08 -15 330 1.84 Sodium Hydroxide NaOH R M Chemical 40 - - - NH 2 HO N H HO HO 41

3.1.2 Simulated Wastewater

Simulated wastewater for Fenton’s treatment was prepared by dissolving a requisite quantity of the amine in distilled water. The lowest concentration by volume of amine was 800 ppm and higher concentrations were 5000 ppm, 10000 ppm and 16000 ppm, respectively. The lowest concentration 800 ppm amine had a COD reading of about 1400 mgl. And the highest concentration 16000 ppm had a COD reading more than 20000 mgl which is similar to the COD value of wastewater from the natural gas processing industries coming out of washing and cleaning of the absorption and stripping towers.

3.1.3 Biomass inoculum

The biomass inoculum was prepared from activated sludge seed taken from the existing WWTP at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS Malaysia. The sludge was taken from the center of clarifier using sludge trapper. The sludge trapper was submerged into the clarifier whereby due to the nature of its design, the sludge entered the trapper. The sludge was than brought to the lab and directly aerated for 1 day while determining the MLVSS dry matter and thereafter placed in the bioreactor to start the biodegradability test.

3.1.4 Mineral Medium

The preparation of mineral medium is done separately in four stocks. Those are stock A, stock B, stock C and stock D. Stock A is prepared by dissolving of components listed below in 1 liter aqueous solution. The pH of the solution should be 7.4. KH 2 PO 4 8.5 g K 2 HPO 4 21.75 g 42 Na 2 HPO 4 , 2H 2 O 33.4 g NH 4 Cl 0.5 g While stock B, C and D had the recipes below: Stock B: 1 liter contain, CaCl 2 , 2H 2 O 36.4 g Stock C: 1 liter contain, MgSO 4 , 7H 2 O 22.5 g Stock D: 1 liter contain, FeCl 3 anhydrous 0.15 g A fresh mineral medium was prepared by mixing of 10 ml stock A and 1 ml each stock B, C and D per liter solution and was prepared fresh before each biodegradability test US EPA Method, 1998.

3.1.5 Reagents used