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PGME Alkaline Wastewater Distillate Treatment by an Alkaliphilic Microbial Consortium: Optimization using Response Surface Methodology with Central Composite Design (RSM-CCD)

Lance Angelo Tamondong Rovillos, Khyle Glainmer Nagtalon Quiton, Kristopher Ray Simbulan Pamintuan, Siang Chen Wu

Abstract


Glycol ethers, especially propylene glycol methyl ether, are widely used as organic solvents in many fields. Although physicochemical treatments are relatively common in treating industrial effluents, their production produces wastewater with extreme conditions like high alkalinity and high chemical oxygen demand (COD), warranting the need for alternatives. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was adapted to optimize the operating conditions for the treatment of propylene glycol methyl ether-alkaline wastewater distillate (PGME-AWD) using an alkaliphilic microbial consortium. Thirteen reactors were run according to a central composite design (CCD), creating surface models for peak percentage COD removal, COD removal rate constant, and percentage true color (TC) change by changing values for the factors: initial reactor pH (IRP) from 7.0 to 11.0 and initial substrate concentration (ISC) from 1.0 %v/v to 3.0 %v/v. Pseudo-first order kinetics, with the highest average regression coefficient (RSQ) value from curve-fitting, was used to calculate rate constant parameters. Numerical integration was used to obtain TC parameters. Based on the models obtained, optimal conditions for the responses include the following: IRP of 8.569 and ISC of 1.038 %v/v for the first; IRP of 8.566 and ISC of 1.00 %v/v for the second; and 11.000 and ISC of 3.000 %v/v for the third. This shows that optimizing the third response contradicts the optimization of the first two responses, suggesting separation of treatment into stages: one for COD removal and one for color and turbidity.

Keywords



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DOI: 10.14416/j.asep.2026.06.003

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