• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.210-215
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• 2017

Produced water is the largest wastestream of oil and gas exploration. It consists of various organic and inorganic compounds that hinder its beneficial use. This study compared the treatment of produced water in a batch suspended and biofilm activated sludge process. The biofilm carrier material was made from Gardenia Carinata shell. COD, $NH_4{^+}-N$ and $NO_3-N$ removal was monitored in both the suspended (control) and floating carrier bioreactors. The results show a rapid reduction of produced water constituents in the floating carrier bioreactor. COD, $NH_4{^+}-N$ and $NO_3-N$ removal was in the range of 99%, 98% and 97% for the floating carrier bioreactor whereas it was 88%, 84% and 83% for the control bioreactor. The rapid reduction of COD, $NH_4{^+}-N$ and $NO_3-N$ clearly indicate that the floating carrier materials served as an attached growth medium for microorganisms, improved the breakdown of produced water constituents and reduced inhibition of microbial metabolic activities.