Development of an Extractive Membrane Bioreactor for degradation of 3 chloro-4-methylaniline: From lab bench to pilot scale

Extractive Membrane Bioreactor (EMB) technology hac been applied to an indu strial wastewater containing 3-chloro-4-methylaniline, para-toluidine and m ethanol produced at the Hickson and Welch Ltd, production site in Castlefor d, UK: Successful treatment war accomplished through a step-wise approach t o process development, involving selection of a suitable microbial culture, extractive membrane bioreactor operation under well controlled laboratory conditions, and finally pilot scale-application at the production site. Thr ee experimental steps were undertaken: I) a microbial culture capable of de grading 3-chloro-4-methylaniline was developed in a continuous enrichment r eactor; 2) the selected culture was then inoculated to a lab-scale EMB unit and adapted to the conditions of the industrial waste; and 3) finally the process was scaled-up to assess feasibility and performance at pilot-scale. At the pilot scale, 100% extraction of the target molecules contained in t he industrial wastewater was achieved in a I m(3) extractive membrane biore actor treating 60 g/d 3-chloro-4-methylaniline and 30 g/d pard-toluidine. S toichiometric amounts of chloride were generated indicating complete minera lization of 3-chloro-4-methylaniline.