Study of advanced multi-barrier treatment for the treatment of produced water from the oil industry

• Grant number: 22/13960-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Renato Falcão Dantas
• Grantee: Taís Suelen Viana
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Tecnologia (FT). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Produced water (PW) is the largest waste produced by the oil industry. This waste is extremely toxic to aquatic biota, because it causes numerous deleterious effects when disposed of without proper treatment in the environment. Its toxicity is due to a mixture of compounds, among which the ones of greatest concern are: heavy metals; benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX); polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Therefore, it is essential to apply efficient techniques in the treatment of PW to reduce the impact of the sector on the environment. Among these techniques we can highlight the multi-barrier (MB) treatment strategy, composed of advanced oxidative processes (AOP), granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration and adsorptive treatment by magnetized vermiculite (VMT-mag). Therefore, the overall objective of the project is to perform the treatment of PA through advanced MB treatments, by the combination of AOP (O3, H2O2/O3, H2O2/UV), GAC and VMT-mag, in order to eliminate and/or reduce the ecotoxicity of the oil effluent and evaluate the viability of the treated effluent for reuse purposes. To this end, PW treatments will be performed through four advanced MB processes: O3+GAC+O3+VMT-mag, H2O2/O3+GAC+H2O2/O3+VMT-mag, H2O2/UV+GAC+H2O2/UV+VMT-mag, O3/H2O2+GAC+H2O2/UV+VMT-mag. Furthermore, the ecotoxicity of PW with and without treatment will be evaluated for aquatic organisms: Danio rerio (fish), Daphnia magna (microcrustacean), Artemia salina (crustacean), Echinometra lucunter (sea urchin). After the treatments we will evaluate the viability of the treated effluent for reuse within the production process or other more pertinent applications. This will be a multidisciplinary work carried out through national and international partnerships. The combined MB treatment of AOP, GAC and VMT-mag is a novelty in PW treatment. The combinations of these treatments are extremely promising for the elimination/reduction of toxicity of this type of effluent for reuse application and a possible patent. (AU)