物化法去除糖蜜酒精废水硫酸盐效果及其产气性能的比较

糖蜜酒精废水中高浓度的硫酸盐会抑制生化处理产甲烷性能。该文采用活性炭、Ba Cl2·2H2O、Ca(OH)2及铁碳微电池法对糖蜜酒精废水中的硫酸盐进行预处理,并分析了预处理前后硫酸根及化学需氧量COD的变化,同时,也分析评价了几种方法对产气性能的影响。结果表明:在500.0 g糖蜜酒精废水中加入8.0 g活性炭,硫酸根去除率达80.0%以上,且产气性能相对最好,累计产气率可达437.3 m L/g。在500.0 g糖蜜酒精废水中,根据S元素含量和Ba SO4的分子组成比例,添加70%的化学试剂Ba Cl2·2H2O,能全部去除硫酸根,累计产气率可达483.2 m L/g,产气效果相对最好,同等条件下,添加70%的Ca(OH)2,硫酸根也能全部去除,累计产气率可达436.6 m L/g。铁碳微电池处理的糖蜜酒精废水,能有效抑制硫酸根的影响,并且可以提高废水的可生化性,累计产气率为451.0 m L/g,是对照处理293.1 m L/g的1.5倍。各处理效果的产气性能排序为70%Ba Cl2·2H2O铁碳微电池8.0 g活性炭吸附70%Ca(OH)2对照组。     

脱氮功能菌去除市政废水中氮素的研究

为了探讨实验室筛选获得的氨氧化细菌CM-NR014和反硝化细菌CM-NRD3联合去除市政废水中氮素的应用价值,采用了两级A／O工艺进行菌株去除废水中氮素的小试实验,最后将菌株用于废水脱氮工程中。结果表明,脱氮功能菌实现了短程硝化-反硝化,氨氮去除率在98％以上,总氮去除率在75％以上,COD（化学需氧量）去除率大于90％,出水各项指标均低于城镇污水处理厂污染物排放一级（A）标准。脱氮功能菌在去除市政废水中氮素方面有很高的应用价值,可用于城镇污水处理厂提标改造等。     

秸秆过滤养猪废水UASB厌氧发酵及微生物群落分析

养猪废水成分复杂,所含悬浮性固体对其生物发酵过程影响显著;利用经过粉碎压实后的玉米秸秆对养猪废水进行负压抽滤,吸附截留废水中的悬浮性固体。再利用上流式厌氧污泥床（UASB,up-flow anaerobic sludge bed/blanket）反应器对过滤后的养猪废水进厌氧发酵,探究发酵过程中随着有机负荷的增加,化学需氧量（COD,chemical oxygen demand）去除率、pH值、产气量的变化规律,并采用高通量测序技术分析最优负荷时厌氧消化污泥中的细菌与古菌群落组成。过滤试验表明,在过滤压差为40kPa、滤层厚度为15cm、滤料压实度为1.6倍密度（148.8kg/m³）时有较好的过滤效果,此时总固体（TS,total solid）、挥发性固体（VS,volatile solid）、COD的去除率分别为33.08%、28.05%、23.01%。厌氧发酵试验结果表明,在温度为(35±1)℃时反应器稳定运行的最高负荷为11 kg/(m³·d);反应器处理效果最优的负荷为10 kg/(m³·d）,此时进水COD浓度为5 000 mg/L、COD去除率为76.46%、容积产气率为1.51m³/(m³·d)。高通量测序结果表明,厌氧发酵过程由多种微生物菌群协同作用,主要的细菌群类是Firmicutes、Bacteroidota,主要古菌群类为Halobacterota,且高效产甲烷菌分布丰富。试验结果为利用作物秸秆过滤养猪废水进行以废治废的技术应用提供了依据。     

适宜填料提高温室甲鱼养殖废水曝气生物滤池处理效能

温室甲鱼养殖废水的无序排放已成为长三角农村地区重要污染源之一,特别在温室甲鱼养殖密集区尤为明显。为了探索曝气生物滤池处理温室甲鱼养殖废水的可行性,并筛选适合于温室甲鱼养殖废水水质的生物滤池填料,为处理工艺的实际应用提供参考。该文以斜发沸石、生物陶粒和砾石等3种填料及以此作为填料的曝气生物滤池为研究对象,研究不同填料对温室甲鱼养殖废水N、P的吸附性能及其净化废水的效果。研究结果表明,3种填料的N吸附容量为0.469～0.563 mg/g,3种填料对N的吸附量差异不大（P>0.05）,P吸附容量0.003～0.114 mg/g,其中沸石对P的吸附量最高。在某典型温室甲鱼养殖场建立温室甲鱼养殖废水曝气生物滤池处理中试工程,经过122 d的运行,结果表明沸石、砾石和陶粒滤池对COD、NH4+-N、TN（总氮）以及TP（总磷）等污染物均具有良好的去除作用,整个运行过程中COD去除率59.4%～61.1%,NH4+-N去除率达93.2%～97.2%,TN去除率54.4%～71.1%,TP去除率为62.7%～84.3%,沸石滤池对TN去除作用最佳,砾石和陶粒滤池对TP的去除率较好。生物滤池对氮磷的去除是填料吸附和微生物共同作用的结果,填料种类对废水的处理效能影响较小,考虑到填料的成本和来源,砾石是曝气生物滤池处理温室甲鱼养殖废水时较为理想的填料。若在温室甲鱼养殖场位于环境敏感区,对氮的去除要求较高,则可采用沸石为填料。综上所述,曝气生物滤池处理工艺具有较高的推广应用价值,适合中国温室甲鱼养殖场废水的处理。     

牛场废水培养肥壮蹄形藻的工艺参数优化

该研究选用肥壮蹄形藻（Kirchneriella obesa）为试验藻种,以秸秆过滤后牛场废水与BG11培养基的混合物为微藻培养液,在前期单因素试验基础上研究废水添加比、光照强度、光照时间和通气量对微藻干重、氨氮去除率、总磷去除率和Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)去除率的交互影响,通过Central Composite Design (CCD)中心组合试验得到了相应的影响模型。试验结果表明牛场废水培养肥壮蹄形藻的最优工艺条件为：废水添加比例26%、光照强度9 028 lx、光照时间21.5 h、通气量2.0 L/min。该研究采用优化工艺,在14d的培养周期末期,肥壮蹄形藻的干重达到了1.141g/L,废水中氨氮去除率、总磷去除率和COD去除率分别达到了99.65% 、99.15%、85.83%,响应值指标的预测值和实际值误差均在2%以内。各因素对目标值的交互作用关系为：废水添加比例和光照时间对肥壮蹄形藻干重的交互作用较强,废水添加比例和通气量对肥壮蹄形藻培养液中氨氮去除率、总磷去除率和COD去除率均具有较强的交互作用,而光照强度和光照时间仅对总磷去除率具有较强的交互作用。该研究为牛场废水培养微藻的工业化生产提供了理论参考。     

厌氧复合菌群JZ-1降解拟除虫菊酯的特性和组成多样性研究

从农药厂废水中分离到能够降解多种拟除虫菊酯的复合菌群JZ-1,对该菌群降解特性研究结果表明,最佳降解条件为pH7、温度30℃;在最佳条件下培养15d,对100mg·L-1甲氰菊酯、氟氯氰菊酯、氯氰菊酯的降解率分别为53.27%、33.36%、41.39%。对该菌群的16S rDNA进行扩增和RFLP及测序分析结果表明,该菌群含有丰富的细菌资源,该菌群的优势种群包括红假单胞菌属（Rhodopseudomonas）和紫单孢菌科细菌（Porphyromonadaceae bacterium）。该研究为拟除虫菊酯的降解菌资源的挖掘和利用提供了理论参考。     

菲降解菌的分离鉴定及其在污染土壤生物修复中的应用

采用室内培养方法,从吴江市郊长期被多环芳烃污染的土壤中富集到以菲为唯一碳源和能源的菲降解复合微生物菌群,复合菌群在7d内对无机盐液体中菲（含量100mg·L^-1）的降解率达到99%。从复合菌群中分离纯化获得两株菲高效降解菌B1和L2,经过菌体形态特征、生理生化特征和16SrDNA序列分析,鉴定菌株B1为百日咳博行特氏菌（Bordetella petrii）,菌株L2为墨西哥假黄单胞菌（Pseudoxanthomonas mexicana）。这两株菌在菲含量为100mg·L^-1的无机盐培养液中,7d内对菲（含量100mg·L^-1）的降解率大约为80%,9d内的降解率可达到99%。将复合菌群和菲污染土壤混合,在光照培养箱中进行培养修复。结果表明,修复88d后,接种复合菌群的低污染浓度（8.22mg·kg^-1）处理和高污染浓度（39.65mg·kg^-1）处理的菲去除率分别达到95.74%和98.06%。     

潜流人工湿地对畜禽养殖废水的净化效果

为了提高潜流人工湿地对畜禽养殖废水中污染物的去除效果,该试验通过改变湿地内部结构构建了4个潜流人工湿地单元,选用灰砖块和碎石做湿地填料,冬夏季轮作栽培齿果酸模和大狼把草,考察湿地运行期间对厌氧消化后猪场废水的净化效果。结果表明：湿地单元经过80 d的启动,运行稳定,有植物湿地比无植物对照湿地提前10 d左右进入稳定期。运行期间,各湿地单元对废水中氨氮（ammonia nitrogen,NH4+-N）、总氮（total nitrogen, TN）、总磷（total phosphorus,TP）和化学需氧量（chemical oxygen demand,CODCr）的去除率与气温变化均呈现显著线性正相关。在水力停留时间（hydraulic retention time,HRT）为4 d,进水中CODCr、NH4+-N、TN、TP浓度分别为520、110、120、10 mg/L左右时,4个湿地单元对CODCr、TP的去除率分别在60%和70%以上,对NH4+-N和TN的去除率分别为28%～67%和32%～58%,植物对CODCr及TP去除的贡献分别稳定在10%和4%左右,植物对氮的去除效果受气温影响较大,夏季对NH4+-N和TN去除的贡献分别可达13%和12%。与一般潜流人工湿地比较,改进的波形潜流人工湿地对NH4+-N、TN和CODCr的平均去除率提高均在3%以上,对TP去除效果差异不显著（P＞0.05）。该研究可为构建大规模的潜流人工湿地处理畜禽养殖废水提供理论依据和技术支持。     

广西大学2001年度获专利授权3项

1.糖厂糖蜜酒精废液脱钾生产畜禽饲料的方法 (专利号 ZL971 1 5 798.7,授权日 2 0 0 1 .0 2 .0 3 ) ,发明人为广西大学工业测试实验中心的梁智群、黄时海、庞宗文、杨胜远、董毅宏。本发明的特点是在酒精废液中加入高氯酸或酒石酸形成高氯酸钾或酒石酸钾析出沉淀 ,然后分离 ,滤渣用于制造复合肥 ,清液浓缩或粉末化 ,即可作为畜禽饲料的一部分 ,这种方法处理酒精废液中钾的脱除率在 90 %以上 ,在废物综合利用 ,变废为宝方面提供了新的方法。2 .利用糖厂糖蜜酒精废液和甘蔗渣或植物秸杆生产畜禽饲料的方法 (专利号 ZL981 1 81 62 .7,授权日 …     

沼液微生物燃料电池的产电及有机物降解特性研究

为了使发酵沼液得到减量化、无害化处理及能源化利用,该研究构建了以玉米秸秆发酵沼液为阳极底物的双室微生物燃料电池(microbial fuel cell,MFC)。通过对比不同浓度沼液MFC产电特性、化学需氧量(chemical oxygen demand,COD)去除率及库伦效率等探究MFC对玉米秸秆沼液的降解效果及其能量回收效率。结果表明,玉米秸秆沼液MFC能够正常启动,并且能够长时间运行产生电流。当初始COD质量浓度为(3618.6±55.6)mg/L时,其最大功率密度为203.4 mW/m2,COD去除率可达63%;并随着沼液中有机物浓度降低,MFC运行稳定性下降,最大输出功率密度成线性降低。通过对原料及阳极溶液和阳极生物膜菌群结构分析可知,以玉米秸秆发酵沼液为阳极底物的MFC菌群结构合理,MFC可以利用沼液中的水解细菌分解阳极溶液中的纤维素等大分子物质,主要以Clostridia、Flavobacteria和Bacteroidia菌纲为主;同时阳极生物膜可以富集接种物中的产电细菌,分解小分子有机物产生电能,2类微生物可以互利共生,避免了沼液MFC的高浓度抑制。该研究表明,MFC可以降解较高浓度沼液废水,并产生电能,该研究可为发酵沼液的处理与利用提供参考。     

Microbial Remediation of Polyfilm Manufacturing Industrial Effluent

The polyfilm manufacturing process involves mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) and ethyl acetate (EA) as the main constituents. The presence of such organic compounds is responsible for the higher toxicity and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) values of the polyfilm effluent. In our previous studies, isolation and identification of efficient MEG and EA degraders was done. All the physico-chemical parameters were found to be well above the permissible limits prescribed by the Indian Standards Institute (ISI) standards, and toxicity of the effluent was confirmed by using fish assay and pot assay. About 10?C20% increase in BOD and COD reduction was obtained with developed microbial consortium as compared to the individual five microbial isolates tested at flask level studies. About 8?C18% increase in BOD and COD reduction was observed with developed microbial consortium as compared to the 5% (v/v) sewage and 5% (v/v) cow dung slurry in 12?days. Pilot plant studies were carried out at the 5-l level of polyfilm effluent, and about 99% reduction in BOD and COD was obtained using developed microbial consortium. Physico-chemical levels were reduced significantly in compliance with the prescribed ISI standards showing the effectivity of the microbial remediation of polyfilm effluent. Toxicity reduction of effluent was confirmed again by fish and pot assay, thus confirming that the treated effluent can be used for irrigation purposes. Finally, results indicated that the developed microbial consortium can be employed in ready-to-use form for the treatment of polyfilm industrial effluent by end users.     

Optimization of the Adsorption Conditions for the Decolorization and COD Reduction of Methylene Blue Aqueous Solution using Low-Cost Adsorbent

The performance of raw bagasse (RB), and tartaric acid-modified bagasse (TAMB) as adsorbents on decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction of methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution was studied. The effects of five factors namely: adsorbent dosage, pH, shaking speed, contact time, and temperature on decolorization and COD reduction were studied and optimized using central composite design (CCD). The results of the analysis show that all selected factors exhibit significant effect on decolorization and COD reduction. Maximum decolorization (78.16%) and COD reduction (77.95%) for RB was achieved at 0.82 g of adsorbent dosage, pH 9.4, 122 rpm of shaking speed, 44 min of contact time, and 55°C. For TAMB, maximum decolorization (99.05%) and COD reduction (98.45%) was achieved at 0.78 g adsorbent dosage, pH 9.4, shaking speed of 120 rpm, 34 min contact time, and 49°C. TAMB was found to be more effective than RB in decolorization and COD reduction of MB aqueous solution.     

Ecofriendly Method for Bioremediation of Chlorpyrifos from Agricultural Soil by Novel Fungus Aspergillus terreus JAS1

The aim of this work was to study the degradation of three azo dyes, Orange II, Methyl red and Biebrich Scarlet by electro-Fenton and the effect of the electrochemical pretreatment on the biodegradability of the solutions. The electrochemical pretreatment showed that an electrochemical reduction on the carbon felt electrode was mainly responsible for the decolorization of the azo dyes. Indeed, the electrochemical behaviour of the azo dyes highlighted their electroactivity; electrolysis with and without ferric ions led to the same decolorization yield, namely 99 % at 15 min for Methyl red, and stable chemical oxygen demand (COD) values were recorded during decolorization. In a second step and owing to the absence of by-product electroactivity in reduction, the formation of hydroxyl radicals by the Fenton reaction led to the oxidation of by-products from the electrochemical reduction. It was illustrated by the decrease recorded for the COD values. The results also showed that the azo bond cleavage occurring during the electrochemical reduction was not sufficient to significantly reduce recalcitrance, as shown from biological oxygen demand (BOD)₅/COD ratio examination below the limit of biodegradability (0.4). Contrarily, a positive trend was recorded for Orange II during the electro-Fenton reaction, with a BOD₅/COD ratio of 0.81 after 28 h of pretreatment.     

填料碳种类对蚯蚓生物工程床净化畜禽养殖污水的影响

蚯蚓对不同种类填料碳的分解转化特征各异,继而影响蚯蚓生物工程床净化养殖污水的效果。为明确填料碳种类对净化畜禽养殖污水的影响特征,以水稻秸秆和水稻秸秆生物炭为生物工程床碳源填料,采用间隙式布料方式,连续22 d监测进水和出水水质。结果表明:秸秆填料的生物工程床对畜禽养殖污水特征污染物平均削减量分别为硝态氮67.2%,氨氮81.4%,总氮79.5%,磷酸盐29.9%,总磷35.2%,COD 21.4%,EC值77.8%;秸秆填料的生物工程床中添加蚯蚓后改变了特征污染物削减量,提升平均削减量分别为氨氮11.1%、总氮10.4%、磷酸盐17.8%、总磷73.9%和COD 27.3%,降低平均削减量分别为硝态氮10.3%和EC值3.4%;生物炭填料的生物工程床对畜禽养殖污水特征污染物平均削减量分别为硝态氮36.8%,氨氮86.2%,总氮53.4%,磷酸盐21.2%,总磷33.3%,COD 33.3%和EC值51.7%;生物碳填料的生物工程床添加蚯蚓后改变特征污染物削减量,削减量平均提升分别为硝态氮0.4%、氨氮1.4%、总氮10.6%、磷酸盐26.0%、总磷29.5%、COD 39.2%和EC值0.7%。秸秆填料和生物炭填料的生物工程床对出水p H值增加量平均为3.1%和7.7%,添加蚯蚓后出水p H值下降,平均下降率为0.1%和7.7%。总之,填料碳种类和蚯蚓活动显著影响生物工程床净化养殖污水的效果,秸秆填料有利于畜禽养殖污水硝态氮、总氮、磷酸盐、总磷和EC值削减;生物炭填料有利于畜禽养殖污水氨氮和COD削减,并显著增加出水p H值。生物工程床添加蚯蚓后明显提高畜禽养殖污水氨氮、总氮、磷酸盐、总磷和COD的削减,但不利于硝态氮削减。     

A new process for the management of olive oil mill waste water and recovery of natural antioxidants

The high polyphenol content of the wastewater is the major environmental problem caused by the olive mills. A pilot scale system for the treatment of the olive oil mills wastewater was developed aiming at the recovery of high added value-contained polyphenols and the reduction of the environmental problems. The treatment system consists of three main successive sections: The first one includes successive filtration stages aiming at the gradual reduction of the wastewater suspended solids up to a limit of 25 microm. The second section includes passing of the filtered wastewater through a series of adsorbent resins (XAD16 and XAD7HP) in order to achieve the de-odoring and decolorization of the wastewater and the removal/ recovery of the polyphenol and lactone content. The third section of the procedure includes the thermal evaporation and recovery of the organic solvents mixture, which has been used in the resin regeneration process, and finally the separation of the polyphenols and other organic substance contents using fast centrifuge partition chromatography. The final outcome of the whole procedure is (i) an odorless yellowish wastewater with a 99.99% reduced content in polyphenols and 98% reduced COD, (ii) an extract rich in polyphenols and lactones with high antioxidant activity and high added value, (iii) an extract containing the coloring substances of the olive fruit, and (iv) pure hydroxytyrosol.     

秋茄人工湿地净化循环海水养殖废水效果

为了深入研究采用人工湿地方法处理循环海水养殖废水的可行性及其运行特性,以红树林植物秋茄(Kandelia candel)为湿地植物构建耐盐人工湿地,对循环海水养殖废水进行生物处理。该文对比研究了秋茄人工湿地与无植物人工湿地的处理效果,在系统启动17d后的稳定运行阶段,秋茄人工湿地对化学需氧量(chemical oxygen demand,COD)和氨氮(NH4+-N)的去除率分别在66.4%～73.8%和64.3%～72.4%,明显高于无植物人工湿地对COD56.7%～62.4%的去除率和对NH4+-N51.2%～57.5%的去除率;在总磷(total phosphorus,TP)去除方面,秋茄人工湿地和无植物人工湿地的去除率分别为55.7%～61.7%和54.3%～60.4%,两者并无明显差别。对人工湿地基质酶活性的分析发现,秋茄人工湿地的基质脲酶活性和磷酸酶活性均明显高于无植物人工湿地;同时在秋茄人工湿地基质床中,根系分布最多的表层0～5cm区域基质酶活性明显高于其他区域,表明秋茄的根部对于提高人工湿地基质床的生物活性及其去污能力发挥了显著的作用。对秋茄人工湿地水力条件的研究表明,表面水力负荷对系统去除有机物和氮有较明显的影响,表面水力负荷控制在0.1m3/(m2·d)及以下时,出水水质可达到国家渔业水质标准的要求。该文研究结果为循环海水养殖废水提供了一种生物处理途径。     

Influence of Integrated Membrane Treatment on the Phytotoxicity of Wastewater from the Coke Industry

In this paper, coke wastewater that had passed through biological and integrated membrane processes (filtration on sand bed—reverse osmosis) was chosen to assess the phytotoxicity of selected industrial wastewater with regard to the test plant—Vicia faba. An innovative research technique in vitro test was conducted in a large scale phytothrone chamber on two matrices: cotton and Murashige and Skoog Basal Medium (MSBM). The toxicity of wastewater was evaluated for samples: (1) treated in the treatment plant by biological processes, (2) filtrated through a sand bed and filtrated (3) reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. The results showed that there is a noticeable correlation between increasing concentrations of wastewater and seed germination of the test plant. Although the wastewater collected from the coke plant was treated biologically, it showed very high levels of germination inhibition (90–98% for cotton matrix and 92–100% for MSBM matrix) and strong toxic effects. The wastewater collected from the coke plant showed a significantly greater phytotoxic effect compared with those obtained from the effluent treated on a sand bed and in RO. However, wastewater, even after treatment on a sand bed (reduction of COD—39%, TN—46%, TOC—42%, TC—47%, SS—50%, 16PAHs—53%), was still toxic and germination inhibition was in the range of 24–48% for the cotton matrix and 14–54% for the MSBM matrix. The toxicity of wastewater treated in the membrane process was the lowest (reduction of COD—85%, TN—95%, TOC—85%, TC—86%, SS—98%, 16PAHs—67%). The germination inhibition was in the range of 4–10% for the cotton matrix and 2–12% for the MSBM matrix. These samples are classified as non-toxic or slightly toxic to the model plant. The present study highlights the necessity of monitoring not only the basic physical and chemical indicators (including the level of toxic substances as PAHs), but also their effect on the test organisms in wastewater samples.     

厌氧池-潜流人工湿地处理低浓度农村生活污水的研究

研究了厌氧池-潜流人工湿地系统（anaerobic tank-subsurface flow constructed wetland systerm,AT-SFCW）对江苏省常熟市农村生活污水的处理,探讨了该系统对生活污水中主要污染物的去除效果,并将厌氧池部分与湿地部分的处理效果进行了比较。结果表明,该系统对化学需氧量(CODcr)、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、氨氮(NH3-N)、硝氮(NO3--N)的总平均去除率分别达到44.3%、42.7%、73.9%、45.6%、37.5%,出水平均浓度分别为16.9、5.2、0.1、3.3、1.4 mg/L,达到国家城镇污水处理厂污染物排放一级A类标准（GB18918-2002）。系统中厌氧池部分对CODcr、TN、NO3--N的去除率分别达到17.4%、6.7%、57.7%。TP经厌氧池后有较明显的上升,升高率达到15.3%。系统中湿地部分对TP、NH3-N、TN、CODcr的去除起主要作用,去除率分别达到89.2%、44.5%、36.0%、26.9%。该系统对农村生活污水的处理效果较好,建设运行成本低廉,维护管理方便,适合农村地区生活污水处理的运用与推广。     

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Reduction in Domestic Wastewater by Fly Ash and Brick Kiln Ash

The potential of fly ash, brick kiln ash and commercial activated carbon is determined for the reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from domestic wastewater. Laboratory experiments are conducted for investigating the effect of treatment time, adsorbent dose, pH of the media, initial COD concentration, agitation speed and particle size of adsorbents on the COD reduction from the domestic wastewater. Starting with an initial COD concentration of 1080 mg/l the maximum COD reduction achieved for fly ash was 87.84%, brick kiln ash was 83.22% and commercial activated carbon was 99.35 %. These values were achieved when the wastewater was treated with activated carbon for 180 min, fly ash 250 min and brick kiln ash 300 min and the adsorbent dose was kept respectively at 40 g/l, 60 g/l and 45 g/l for activated carbon, fly ash and brick kiln ash. Agitation speed was kept constant at 600 rpm and the pH was maintained at 2 for activated carbon and fly ash and 5 for brick kiln ash. The maximum percent reduction is for 0.053 mm or smaller size of the particles. Though the adsorption capacity of the ash for reducing the COD is lower than that of the commercial activated carbon, the low material cost can make it an attractive option for the treatment of domestic wastewater.