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Arabzadeh M, Dehghani S, Mahrodi A, Tazik M, Hasani A H, Pendashteh A, et al . Comparative Evaluation of API Separation and Chemical Coagulation Methods for Oil and Grease Removal from Industrial Wastewater in a Middle Eastern Gas Refinery. JRHMS 2024; 3 (1) :10-18
URL: http://jrhms.thums.ac.ir/article-1-100-en.html
Comparative Evaluation of API Separation and Chemical Coagulation Methods for Oil and Grease Removal from Industrial Wastewater in a Middle Eastern Gas Refinery
Morteza Arabzadeh1 , Samaneh Dehghani2 , Azam Mahrodi3 , Moslem Tazik3 , Amir Heasam Hasani4 , Alireza Pendashteh5 , Zahra Eslamidoost *6 , Hamed Soleimani7
1- Head of Protection of Environment, Fajr Jam Gas Refinery, Jam, Iran
2- Student’s Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3- Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
4- Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
5- Environment Research Side of Gilan, Gilan, Iran
6- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran , eslamidoost@gmail.com
7- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Research Institute for Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Abstract:   (163 Views)
Industrial wastewater generated by oil and gas refineries often contains significant amounts of oil and grease. These contaminants must be effectively removed to meet environmental discharge standards and prevent ecological harm. This study evaluated and compared the efficiency of chemical coagulation using ferric chloride (FeCl₃) and polyaluminum chloride (PACl) with the conventional American Petroleum Institute (API) separator in removing oil and grease from industrial wastewater at a major gas refinery in the Middle East. A descriptiveanalytical methodology was applied. A series of controlled jar test experiments was conducted to assess the impact of varying coagulant dosages (10–100 mg/L) and pH levels (5, 7, 9, and 11) on treatment performance. These tests aimed to determine the optimal conditions for oil and grease removal using FeCl₃ and PACl. In parallel, the existing API separator system was evaluated by collecting samples at its inlet and outlet during both wet and dry seasons to examine seasonal effects on performance. Standard gravimetric analysis, following EPA protocols, was employed to quantify oil and grease concentrations in all samples. The results showed that both coagulants achieved high removal efficiencies, with FeCl₃ performing slightly better. Optimal removal (above 98%) occurred at pH 11 and 50–100 mg/L dosage. By comparison, the API separator maintained a consistent removal rate of ~92.5%, particularly during wet seasons with higher influent loads. Overall, chemical coagulation outperformed the API method under all tested conditions. It offers a more reliable approach for achieving environmental compliance and managing variable contaminant loads.
Keywords: Industrial Wastewater, Oil-Water Separation, Ferric Chloride, Polyaluminum Chloride, Coagulation
Full-Text [PDF 1257 kb]   (164 Downloads)    
Subject: Special
Received: 2025/10/30 | Accepted: 2025/11/6 | Published: 2026/01/10
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