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Treatability study of latex effluent by combined solar photofenton and biological treatment process

Abstract

The feasibility of enhancing biodegradability of raw latex centrifuging effluent by solar photofenton process was investigated. The raw latex had a low biodegradability as determined by BOD5/COD ratio (0.19.). The effects of operating variables viz., pH, concentration of H2O2 , dosage of Fe2+ , depth of wastewater and contact time were studied. In photofenton treatment, COD reduction of 72% was observed at pH 5 and H2O2/ Fe2+ molar ratio 50:1 after 3 hrs irradiation and this photofenton oxidation led to an increase in the BOD5/COD ratio (0.19 to 0.4) of raw latex effluent after oxidation time of 3 hrs. The feasibility of further degradation of photo- treated wastewater by biological treatment (SBR ) was also investigated and the effect of MLSS concentration was studied. Biological treatment of photo-treated wastewater was conducted in a batch activated sludge reactor (SBR). Separate batch runs were conducted with the wastewater that was given 3 hrs and 5 hrs photochemical treatment time. In the biological process, 86% BOD reduction and 75% COD reduction were observed. As a conclusion, it can be suggested that photofenton oxidation treatment can be placed before biological treatment to remove the non-biodegradable organic pollutants present in the latex wastewater and photo- treated wastewater was found to be bio-compatible.

C. Suyambu Thangarani and S. Kanmani

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