Home // SMART 2025, The Fourteenth International Conference on Smart Cities, Systems, Devices and Technologies // View article
Authors:
Bruno Escobar
Ana Santos
Flavio Silva
Helena Nadais
Keywords: Smart cities; Sustainable urban development; Semiconductor wastewater; Anaerobic digestion; Biomass acclimation; Methane production; Chemical oxygen demand.
Abstract:
As cities transition into smart urban environments, managing industrial waste, especially from semiconductor manufacturing essential for smart technologies, becomes paramount. This study assesses the anaerobic treatment of semiconductor industry wastewater, which is laden with heavy metals and organic solvents. Our research focuses on the acclimation of anaerobic biomass and its effectiveness in treating these complex wastewaters over a 132-day period using semi-continuous reactors. We employed a phased approach starting with an initial stimulation using sucrose to boost microbial activity, followed by gradual increases in effluent concentration. The process culminated in stabilization phases where effluent mixtures were managed to evaluate adaptation and efficiency. Throughout these phases, we monitored methanization and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal, achieving average efficiencies of 61% and 79% respectively. Our findings underscore the complex dynamics between microbial communities and the unique constituents of semiconductor wastewater. While the presence of inhibitory substances challenged methanogenic activity, particularly in the latter stages with higher contaminant loads, the treatment system demonstrated significant resilience. This suggests that while the core anaerobic processes are effective, supplementary pre- and post-treatments could be necessary to handle the high concentrations of contaminants typical in semiconductor wastewater. The study confirms the feasibility of using anaerobic processes to manage the demanding effluents of semiconductor manufacturing, a critical component in smart cities. By enhancing wastewater treatment strategies, this research contributes to the sustainability of smart urban environments, reducing environmental impacts and supporting the continued development of essential smart technologies.
Pages: 29 to 33
Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2025
Publication date: April 6, 2025
Published in: conference
ISSN: 2308-3727
ISBN: 978-1-68558-251-7
Location: Valencia, Spain
Dates: from April 6, 2025 to April 10, 2025