RESUMEN
Untreated terephthalic acid (TPA) wastewaters with high organic loads will cause severe environmental pollution problems. In this study, a lab-scale moving bed biofilm reactor, where biomass of Delftia sp. WL-3 is attached to polypropylene carrier elements, has been tested for TPA bioremediation at 25-27⯰C. The system achieved stable operation after a short 15-day start-up period. During the operation period of 65 days, stable chemical oxygen demand (COD) and TPA removal efficiencies of 68% and 76% were maintained with an organic load rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time of 2.5â¯kg COD·(m3·d)-1 and 24â¯h, respectively. In addition, the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) showed that high-densities of WL-3 biomass accumulated on the surface of the carrier and formed a rich biofilm, indicating polypropylene carrier can improve the degradation efficiency. On the contrary, the biodegradation ability of stain WL-3 without the polypropylene carrier declined significantly with removal efficiencies of 10% and 15% for COD and TPA. Furthermore, the system exhibited excellent robustness to different OLR and influent matrix ratios, indicating its potential for applications in the treatment of TPA-containment wastewater in the field.