Degradation and detoxification of formaline wastewater by advanced oxidation processes.
In this study, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) utilizing the combinations of UV/H(2)O(2), Fenton, photo-Fenton and the combination of Fenton/photo-Fenton reactions were investigated in lab-scale experiments for the degradation of formaline wastewater. The studied toxic chemicals were formaldehyde and methanol in mixture solution, so-called formalin, which is the embalming agent in mortuaries. The experimental results showed that the photo-Fenton process was the most effective treatment process among the studied AOPs. Pseudo-first-order degradation rate constants of formaldehyde and methanol were obtained from batch experimental data. In the combination of Fenton/photo-Fenton reactions, the results show that applying UV light at an early stage of the reaction might not be necessary for a speedy oxidation reaction of the Fenton process. With Fenton and photo-Fenton processes, mineralization of formaline wastewater can be achieved, as no residual TOC is detected in the effluent after the reaction period. It is suggested that Fenton and photo-Fenton processes are viable techniques for the formaline wastewater treatment as they were able to provide high degradation of formaldehyde and methanol with relatively low toxicity of the by-products in the effluent.
Kajitvichyanukul
Puangrat
P
Environmental Nanomaterial Research and Development Unit, Department of Environmental Engineering, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Tungkru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand. kpuangrat@yahoo.com
Lu
Ming-Chun
MC
Liao
Chih-Hsiang
CH
Wirojanagud
Wanpen
W
Koottatep
Thammarat
T
D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide