Treatment of Tannery Wastewater Through the Moving-Bed Biofilm Reactor

The leather industry is an essential sector, especially in countries with highly developed livestock as they use rawhide to produce high-valued leather products. The leather-making process uses different chemicals and is a source of environmental pollution if the wastewater is not properly treated. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze a Moving-Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) as a new technology for the biological treatment of tannery wastewater. This system incorporate benefits provided by the suspended growth systems, which have already been consolidated in treating wastewater, such as activated sludge and the advantage of growth adhered to biocarriers that have a large surface area. Incorporating activated sludge into MBBR enables the removal of both organic and nitrogen pollutants. Studies have shown that MBBR treatment efficiency depends on biocarrier surface area, composition, texture, and reactor operating conditions, such as filling fraction, hydraulic retention time, dissolved oxygen, and volumetric organic load.