| Summary: | In the present study, an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) process using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel beads as biomass carrier was applied to treat the wastewater from the rubber glove industry. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrogen, nitrate, orthophosphate, pH and dissolved oxygen were analyzed prior to the IFAS process. Two systems comprising IFAS/biofilm (PVA gel beads only) and IFAS/hybrid (PVA gel beads + activated sludge) were investigated. The COD removal efficiency was studied through manipulating the hydraulic retention time (HRT: 2, 4, 6, 8 h) and biomass carriers percent filling (5%, 10% and 20%). The present results showed that increases in HRT and biomass carrier’s percent filling improved COD removal significantly. The highest COD removal efficiency achieved was 87% at HRT of 6 h using the IFAS/hybrid method. At lower HRT of 2 and 4 h, the IFAS/biofilm system showed higher COD removal efficiency of (58% ~ 61%) compared to the IFAS/hybrid (38%–46%) and vice versa at higher HRT of 6 and 8 h. This was probably due to rapid absorption of soluble compound into PVA gel beads before degradation. In conclusion, the IFAS system using PVA gel beads could be a promising effective alternative treatment method to replace the conventional activated sludge system for the removal of COD in rubber glove wastewater. © 2022 Desalination Publications.
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