A study on the Treatment of Water Containing Cyclohexanone and Cyclohexanol by Activated Sludge Process

Abstract

Cyclohexanone (anone) and cyclohexanol (anol) are the two major organic pollutants in the wastewater from a caprolactam manufacturing unit that follow a Raschig process. Biodegradation study of water containing anone and anol using an acclimatized activated

sludge shows that utilization of anol starts only after the anone had undergone around 90 per cent reduction. Effect of various experimental conditions such as pH, airflow rate, and degree of agitation, on the substrate utilization rate is determined. It is found that the rate of reaction increases with increasing airflow rate and degree of agitation, and a maximum reaction rate is obtained at a pH of 6.5±0.2.The experiment is extended to a continuously fed reactor to study the effect of preferential utilization of anone, on the treatment of water containing anone and anol under various hydraulic retention times (HRT). It is found that both COD and substrate reduction increases with longer retention times, and for a complete removal of anol from water containing mixture of anone and anol, a sufficient and longer HRT should be given.