Sequencing batch reactor performance treating PAH contaminated lagoon sediments

The applicability of sediment slurry sequencing batch reactors (SBR) to treat Venice lagoon sediments contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated, carrying out experimental tests. The slurry, obtained mixing tap water and contaminated sediments with 17.1 mg kg-1 TS total PAHs content, was loaded to a 8 l lab-scale completely stirred reactor, operated as a sequencing batch reactor. Oxygen uptake rate exerted by the slurry, measured by means of a DO-stat titrator, was used to monitor the in-reactor biological activity and to select the optimal operating conditions for the sediment slurry SBR. The PAHs removal efficiency was evaluated in different operating conditions, obtained changing the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the lab-scale reactor and adding an external carbon source to the slurry. HRT values used during the experiments are 98, 70 and 35 days, whereas the carbon source was added in order to evaluate its effect on the biological activity. The results have shown a stable degradation of PAHs, with a removal efficiency close to 55%, not dependent on the addition of carbon source and the tested HRTs.