Effects of a polymeric organic coagulant for industrial mineral oil wastewater treatment using response surface methodology (RSM)

Abstract

In this study, treatment of a local South African oil refinery effluent using a coagulation flotation process is designed using response surface methodology (RSM). A Box-Behnken design (BBD) implementing the RSM is applied to evaluate the effects and interactions of three operating parameters, viz., pH, coagulant dosage and flotation time, on the treatment of mineral oil wastewater (MOW). Polyacrylamide (Zetag-FS/A50), which is a water-soluble compound, is applied to enhance the adsorption mechanism and intermolecular bridging to minimise the amount of oil droplets. In addition, due to the monomeric nature and the charge density of the Zetag-FS/A50, its efficiency was evaluated to serve as an alternative coagulant for the pretreatment of the MOW. The removal of chemical oxidation demand (COD), soap oil and grease (SOG), total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity from the MOW were used as the response variables for the coagulation flotation process. This was done with a standard dissolved air flotation jar test.

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