PURIFICATION OF WASTE STREAMS

Abstract: The present invention is a process for decreasing the concentration of organic carbon in an aqueous system by incorporating a peroxygen composition as an oxidant capable of oxygen transfer in a chemical reaction. The process is particularly useful for decolorizing lignin-containing aqueous solutions such as effluents from a pulp mill.

Description: PU IFICATION OF WASTE STREAMS This invention concerns a process to purify aqueous systems. Industrial waste stream effluents present decon- tamination or purification problems which are quite different from the problems of municipal sewage treatment. The waste stream from each industrial process type is unique to that process and requires specialized rectification. Common contaminants in- elude excess acidity or basicity (a low or high pH) , color, chemical oxidation demand (COD) , biological oxidation demand (BOD) and chloride or other ions. Color contamination of surface water presents an especially visible aesthetic problem as well as an adverse effect upon aquatic vegetable and animal life caused by altered light penetration of the surface water. Color also provides a simple indicator of the efficacy of the purification process. The effluent from pulp mills often has a charac- teristic black or very dark brown color, even after the waste has experienced the usual waste treatment scheme of primary clarification, aeration, and secondary clarification. The molecules which are primarily responsible for this very intense color are thought to be degraded, oxidized lignins which are separated from the pulp primarily at the first caustic extract stage of the bleach plant. Lignin- containing effluent from chemical pulp mills is a complex mixture containing sugars, aromatics, ethers and other organic compounds including chlorocarbons , some of which are chronic toxins. These molecules pass unchanged through the waste treatment plant because they are refractory towards the biological treatment in the aeration basin. In the past, the reason to remove color from pulp mill and other waste waters was entirely aesthetic. Recently it has been recognized that part of this color is related to COD and BOD and often includes toxic halogenated organics. The emphasis has therefore switched to oxidizing those molecules which consume oxygen. Nonetheless, the problem remains the same. Much research has been directed toward reduc¬ ing the "color" of pulp mill effluents. The reason is, in part, because color difference is easy to measure and color reduction is indicative of the decrease of BOD, COD, and other contaminants. The prior art processes for treating industrial effluents can be separated into four major catego¬ ries, biological, adsorption/absorption, chemical neutralization and physical treatment. Often two or more types of treatment are required. Biological treatment has ranged from elaborate activated sludge treatment plants to relatively un¬ sophisticated "wetlands" processing. However, as U.S. Patent No. 4,851,128 discloses even after standard primary clarification, aeration, and second- ary clarification, pulp mill effluents remain highly colored and are high in absorbable organic halogens (AOX) . Further, the sludges from the clarification steps require disposal either by incineration, land¬ fill or other such expensive alternatives. U.S. Patent No. 4,851,128 teaches contacting the waters with a cationic flocculant followed by adsorb¬ ing the residual color with activated carbon and, after exhaustion, regenerating the carbon by pyroly¬ sis. Other adsorption and absorption processes uti- lize macroreticular weak anion resin (U.S. Patent No. 4,049,546) ; an activated resin (U.S. Patent No. 4,259,149); a macroporous resin (U.S. Patent No. 4,895,662); and by absorption into barium sulfate during precipitation (U.S. Patent No. 3,945,917). Typical chemical neutralization processes are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,049,546, such as, the mini-lime process in which 1000 to 2000 mg/1 calcium hydroxide is added to pulp mill effluent to precipi¬ tate a calcium-organic precipitate, or alternatively, alum is employed to form an aluminum-organic preci¬ pitate. The patent discloses that such processes suffer the disadvantage of requiring large quantities of expensive chemicals, and additionally are severely hampered by sludge handling problems. Neutralization processes include precipitation by polyvalent anions and cations, pH adjustment with suitable alkaline or acidic materials such as limestone, lime, sulfuric acid, sulfur dioxide and the like. Common physical processes include sedimentation, dissolved air flotation, filtering, and sparging with air or an inert gas. U.S. Patent No. 4,874,521 teaches a process in which caustic effluent (pH 8-10) from an extractor stage is heated under pressure at 150°C to 200°C, followed by neutralizing to pH 2.6- 3.8 to flocculate organic material and subsequently separating the floe from the residual liquid by dis- solved air flotation. Total evaporation of the effluent cannot be employed with waste streams con¬ taining halogens because of corrosion of the evapo¬ rator. Further, the cost of energy is exorbitant if the effluent solution is dilute. The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by providing a process for decreasing the concentration of organic carbon in an aqueous system comprising the steps of: a) adjusting the aqueous system to between pH of 2 and 10, and b) incorporating an oxidizing amount of a per¬ oxygen composition selected from the group consisting of Cl to C3 percarboxylic acids; monoperoxysulfuric acid; Group IVB, VB, and VIB metal peracid-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide; and ozone-catalyzed hydrogen per¬ oxide; the composition desirably being incorporated in an amount sufficient to maintain at least 30 (and preferably 100) micromoles of the peroxygen composi¬ tion per liter of aqueous system for about fifteen minutes, thereby decreasing the organic carbon in the aqueous system. Any aqueous system which contains refractory lignin or lignocellulose moieties may be purified by the process of the present invention as well as solu¬ tions containing more easily oxidized organic or inorganic moieties. Suitable lignin or lignocellu- lose waste streams include those from pulp mills; textile mills and processing operations; waste streams containing agricultural waste materials, such as hulls, bran, chaff, husks, and other extracts and fiber; waste streams from fiber processing opera- tions, such as for hemp, linen, jute, and other natural fibers; and agricultural-related waste streams such as, effluent from animal raising facili¬ ties and processing plants, agricultural run off, and the like. Other waste streams include those contain- ing nitrogenous materials, such as ammonia; primary, secondary and tertiary amines; i ines; azo compounds and the like, as well as sulfur-containing compounds, such as mercaptans, thioethers; thioesters, and the like. . The process is particularly useful for waste streams containing a complex mixture of compounds such as lignins and lignin derivatives which may contain resins, terpenes, and other simple and com¬ plex molecules composed of mannan, xylan, phenolics, and the like and their chlorinated and sulfur- containing derivatives. The peroxygen compositions are high energy per- oxygens capable of oxygen transfer in a chemical reaction. High energy peroxygens are members of a group of chemicals and chemical systems which are activated as oxidants compared to hydrogen peroxide. These peroxygen compositions have a greater chemical oxidative reactivity than hydrogen peroxide. These high energy peroxygens include ozone-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide and active peracid systems. For the purpose of this invention, the term "active per¬ acid systems" includes Cl to C3 percarboxylic acids (performic, peracetic and perproprionic acids) ; mono- peroxysulfuric acid (Caro's acid) ; and group IVB, (Ti, Zr and Hf) , VB (V, Nb and Ta) , and VIB (Cr, Mo and W) metal peracid-catal zed hydrogen peroxide. Active peracid systems are intended to include the peracid compounds and salts thereof as well as a heterogeneous system, such as an inorganic metal peracid either supported on a solid or provided as part of a solid compound. Peracids are generally distinguished from hydrogen peroxide in that they are not reduced (to oxygen) on titration with a perman¬ ganate or a cerate as is hydrogen peroxide. For example, a solution of an organic or metal peracid or a two-phase metal peracid system, such as pertungstic acid (or its precursor) supported on an inorganic zeolite or on an organic resin or incorporated into a crystalline lattice, is intended to be within the scope of the invention as well as the potassium mono- persulfate triple salt claimed in U.S. patent No. 3,041,139. A catalytic amount of a group IVB, VB or VIB metal can be determined by one skilled in the art without undue experimentation for any particular aqueous solution. The scope of this invention is intended to in¬ clude chemical processes in which an active peracid system is formed by hydrolysis or perhydrolysis such as by the hydrolysis of a persulfate at a low pH and high temperature. The titanium-silicate-1 synthetic zeolite dis¬ closed by Romano et al., "Selective Oxidation with Ti-Silicalite," La Chimica & L / Industria, V72, page 610 (1991) is an example of a Group IVB metal cata¬ lyst incorporated into a crystalline lattice. Ozone-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide can be prepared by sparging ozonated air through the aqueous solution and incorporating hydrogen peroxide into the aqueous solution either before, during or after the sparging. The icromolar (or molar) equivalent of metal peracid-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide and ozone- catalyzed hydrogen peroxide includes the total number of moles hydrogen peroxide available. This is be¬ cause in these systems the catalyst (metal peracid) is continuously and rapidly renewed. On the other hand, the equilibrium for forming percarboxylic acid and monoperoxysulfuric acid is very slow so that the micromolar (or molar) equivalent is limited to only the peracid form in solution. The rate of decolorizing the solution initially is very rapid, but continues at a lesser rate for up to 24 hours provided some of the peroxygen composi¬ tion remains in the solution, or can be formed in the solution. It is desirable to incorporate sufficient peroxygen composition to provide a residue of about 0.1 millimoles per liter in the solution. Monoperoxysulfuric acid or ozone activated H2θ 2 are particularly desirable when the aqueous solution is required to have a low BOD. Monoperoxy sulfuric acid also may be desirable to provide sulfate ions either as a plant nutrient or to precipitate calcium, barium or strontium ions, or the like. On the other hand, peracetic acid may be preferred to provide a biodegradable acetate group or to ensure a rapid reaction rate over a wide pH range. The present invention provides an activated per¬ acid system particularly effective in reducing the color of an effluent from a pulp bleach stage. Alka¬ line hydrogen peroxide is commonly used in pulp bleach sequences as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,049,546. Also it is well known peroxides and dipersulfates (called peroxydisulfate, the persul- fates of commerce) may induce crosslinking of lignins according to U.S. Patent No. 4,781,840. Indeed, it was found that addition of persulfates to the effluent resulted in a dramatic increase in color. Unexpectedly the compositions of the present invention are effective in purifying aqueous solu¬ tions while neither hydrogen peroxide alone nor a peroxydisulfate are as effective. Hydrogen peroxide was found to reduce the color of pulp mill effluent somewhat, but only at temperatures which result in excessive decomposition, while a persulfate, as noted above, results in an increase of color. The pH of the aqueous solution can vary over a wide range, of about 2 to 10. The optimum pH will vary according to the source of the aqueous solution but generally the preferred pH will range between 5 and 7.5. Generally, the pH should be about neutral when the aqueous solution is to be discharged into the environment. Temperature is not a critical factor in the pre¬ sent process. It is well known that the rate of a reaction is a function of temperature. However, with peroxygen compounds the rate of decomposition com¬ petes with the rate of reaction. In the present invention usually about 80% of the color reduction is attained within 5 to 15 minutes with a further color reduction continuing for up to 24 hours, provided that a sufficient amount of a high energy peroxygen composition can be available in the aqueous solution to provide, as a residue, about 30 micromoles per liter of the peroxygen composition or more. The rate of decomposition of the peroxygen com¬ position increases with an increase in pH. It is desirable for the pH to be maintained between pH 2 and pH 8 when it is permissible to continue the de- colorization for an hour or more. The following examples further illustrate the method of practicing the invention. The invention is exemplified with effluents from pulp mills, either the extractor circuit of a pulp mill or the combined effluent. Some of the effluent samples were dark in color and were diluted to 25% with distilled water (1 volume of effluent plus 3 volumes of distilled water) . The transmission of the samples was determined with a Bausch and Lomb spectrophotometer using 465 n light after the pH was adjusted to 7.6. Alternatively, the absorbance, the negative logarithm of transmission was reported rather than the transmission percent. Color difference is the percent reduction of absorbance. COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE A A 2x2x2 experiment was designed to determine the effect of varying hydrogen peroxide concentration, pH and temperature on color of pulp mill effluent. In an initial experiment 1 liter of effluent from a pulp mill was adjusted to pH 10.32 and maintained at 40°C. Sufficient hydrogen peroxide was added to provide 0.5 g H2O2/I. A sample was periodically withdrawn and diluted with 3 parts of distilled water (diluted to 25%) and the percent transmission (%T) measured at 465 nm. After 30 minutes the %T increased from 12.0% to 19.6%. The results are presented as Table I. Another sample, the center point of the designed experiment, containing 1.5 g/1 H2O2 was adjusted to pH 9.3 and maintained at 65-71°C. The %T increased from 10.2%T initially to 23.6% at 30 minutes; 29.6 at 60 minutes and 48.4%T after 20 hours. COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE B A peroxydisulfate (Q.25 g Na 2 S 2 θ8) was added to 250 ml of pulp mill effluent with an initial pH of 9.15. The sample was maintained at 71°C. The trans¬ mission dropped from 10.2%T to 8.6%T in 10 minutes and grew progressively darker with time. EXAMPLE 1 Ozone and Hydrogen Peroxide About 500 g of ozone was added to 400 ml of extractor effluent at an initial pH of 8.7. The transmission of a solution (diluted to 25%) increased from 14.4%T to 50.4%T (64% color remained) in 15 minutes. On repetition with the addition of 0.1% hydrogen peroxide the transmission increased to 67.0 (80% color removed) . The example was repeated with 130 mg ozone with and without 0.1% H2O2. The transmission increased to 42%T without the added H2O2 and 37.0%T with the added hydrogen peroxide (respectively 55% and 48% color removed) . EXAMPLE 2 Ozone + UV + Hydrogen Peroxide The combined effect of ozone, UV and hydrogen peroxide was compared on samples of extractor stage effluent as follows: A. Sufficient hydrogen peroxide was added to 800 ml of extractor effluent at pH of 8.7 to provide 0.3% H2O2. Ozone was sparged through the solution at the rate of 16 mg/min. while the solution was irradiated with 254 nm ultra-violet radiation (UV) . __he trans- mission at 25% dilution increased from 21%T to 53%T in 15 minutes. The temperature dropped from 54°C to 47°C during this time. B. The example was repeated increasing the H 2 O2 to 1.0%. The transmission increased from 21%T to 59%T in 15 minutes. C. Example 2B was repeated with 0.3% hydrogen peroxide instead of 1.0% and without added ultra¬ violet. The transmission increased from 21%T to 75%T in 15 minutes. EXAMPLE 3 Potassium Peroxymonosulfate (Potassium Caroate) A 200 ml sample of extractor effluent with a pH of 8.7 and at 54°C had an initial transmission of 21.4%T (at 25% dilution). After 15 minutes in the presence of 0.8 g of a- commercial potassium peroxy- onosulf te triple salt (MW=614.7) the transmission increased to 74.2%T indicating 80% color removal. EXAMPLE 4 Metal-catalyzed H2O2 (metal peracid) A. A 500 ml sample of extractor effluent contain- ing 0.93 g/1 H2O2 was adjusted to pH 6 and 3 drops of ammonium molybdate reagent was added as a catalyst. The transmission increased from 22.6%T in the blank to 27.0%T in the sample with molybdate (at 25% dilu¬ tion) in 15 minutes. B. Example 4A was repeated at pH 4.3 substituting 500 mg of tungstic acid (H2 O4) for the ammonium molybdate. The transmission (at 25% dilution) in¬ creased from 20.8%T to 26.2%T in 15 minutes and to 59.6%T in 24 hours. The tungstic acid was not com- pletely dissolved in the solution. C. Example 4B was repeated at pH 8.7 with only 100 mg of tungstic acid (in solution) . The trans¬ mission (at 25% dilution) increased from 20.8%T to 37.4%T in 15 minutes to 41.6% in 1 hour and to 67% in about 24 hours indicating 74% color removal. EXAMPLE 5 An experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of temperature, pH and peracid level to decolorize a different pulp mill extractor effluent. Results appear in Table II. In Run A, a 1 liter sample of effluent containing sufficient added 35% peracetic (PAA) to provide 0.05% PAA in solution was evaluated. The solution was maintained at 66°C and the color determined as before at 25% dilution. The run was replicated as Runs B through I while varying tempera¬ ture, peracetic acid content and pH as reported in Table II. The results are reported as the percent reduction in color. The organic peracid was observed to reduce the color almost immediately, but continued to be effec- 5 tive as long as a sufficient residual peracid concen¬ tration was maintained. For example, in Run A the peracid concentration after 15 seconds was 0.04% dropping to 0.02% in 1 hour and 0.01% in 24 hours. On the other hand, in Run G, at pH 10, the peracid •10 concentration dropped from 0.03% in 15 seconds to 0.01% in 15 minutes and about 0.004% in 1 hour. In each of the runs the hydrogen peroxide concen¬ tration remained unchanged at about 0.014% indicating decolorization was effected primarily by the peracid. 15 EXAMPLE 6 Combined Pulp Mill Effluent In another series of experiments the combined effluent from a third pulp mill was treated by adding varying amounts of peracetic acid (PAA) but without 20 adjusting the pH, with results described in Table III. EXAMPLE 7 Ozone/Hydrogen Peroxide/UV Samples of mixed effluent from a pulp mill were 25 treated with ozone alone (Run Al and A2) , ozone plus hydrogen peroxide (Run Bl and B2) , and ozone, plus hydrogen peroxide and UV (Run C) . The temperature averaged 62°-70°C in all cases and drifted down during the runs. The oxidants were added at a uni- 30 form rate through each run. The results are reported as % decrease in absorbance (% color decrease) . In Runs Al and A2, the samples consumed 342 and 242 mg of ozone per liter in 30 minutes. However, the color reduction of both samples was the same 35 (83%) . In Run Bl the color reduction was 78% in 20 minutes after consumption of 186 mg/1 ozone and 64 mg/1 H2O2, and the color reduction was 88% after 30 minutes after consumption of 262 mg/1 ozone and 150 mg/1 H 2 0 2 . In Run B2 the color reduction was 81% in 20 minutes after consumption of 113 mg/1 ozone and 65 mg/1 H2O2. Run C was comparable to Run B2 except the sample was irradiated with 254 nm UV. In 20 minutes the color was reduced 85% after consumption of 118 mg/1 ozone and 48 mg/1 H2O2; the color was reduced 88% in 30 minutes after consumption of 262 mg/1 ozone and 150 mg/1 H2O2. These runs indicate that rate of decrease in color is initially very high, dropping with time. The results also indicate that the % of color reduc- tion (change of absorbance) is proportional to the molar consumption of ozone and hydrogen peroxide (Run Bl at 20 minutes and Runs B2 and C) ; further the effect of UV radiation is not detectable under the experimental conditions. The results also indicate that ozone does activate hydrogen peroxide. TABLE I COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE % TRANSMISSION OF PULP MILL EFFLUENT i Q TABLE II DECOLORIZING EXTRACTOR STAGE EFFLUENT ND = No determination was made TABLE III DECOLORIZING PULP MILL COMBINED EFFLUENT Co or Redu tion

Claims: Claims: 1. A process for decreasing the concentration of organic carbon in an aqueous system characterized by the steps of: a. adjusting the aqueous system to between pH of 2 and 10, and b. incorporating a sufficient amount of a peroxy¬ gen composition to decrease the concentration of organic carbon in the aqueous system, the peroxygen composition selected from the group consisting of Cl to C3 percarboxylic acids; monoperoxysulfuric acid; group IV, VB and VB metal peracid-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide; and ozone-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide. 2. The process of claim 1 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is incorporated in an amount sufficient to maintain a concentration of about 100 micromoles of the composition per liter of aqueous system. 3. The process of claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is peracetic acid. 4. The process of claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is monoperoxysul¬ furic acid. 5. The process of claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is hydrogen per¬ oxide containing a catalytic amount of compound selected from group IVB, group VB and group VIB peracid-forming metals. 6. The process of claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is hydrogen per¬ oxide containing a catalytic amount of tungstic acid. 7. The process of claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is hydrogen per¬ oxide and a catalytic amount of ozone. 8. A process for decolorizing an aqueous lignin-containing system characterized by the steps of: a. adjusting the aqueous system to between pH of 2 and 10, and b. incorporating a decolorizing amount of a per¬ oxygen composition selected from the group consisting of Cl to C3 percarboxylic acids; monoperoxysulfuric acid; group IV, VB and VB metal peracid-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide; and ozone-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide. 9. The process of claim 8 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is incorporated in an amount sufficient to maintain a concentration of 100 micromoles of the composition per liter of aqueous system. 10. The process of claim 8 or 9 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is peracetic acid. 11. The process of claim 8 or 9 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is"monoperoxysul¬ furic acid. 12. The process of claim 8 or 9 characterized in that the peroxygen composition is hydrogen per¬ oxide containing a catalytic amount of compound selected from group IVB, group VB and group VIB peracid-forming metals. "

Inventors: SAUGIER RICHARD KENT, WEIBEL ALBERT THOMAS, SAUGIER, RICHARD, KENT, WEIBEL, ALBERT, THOMAS
Applicants: FMC CORP, FMC CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C02F1
IPC codes: C02F1, C02F9