title: Use of Fenton oxidation to improve the biodegradability of a pharmaceutical wastewater.
abstract: The applicability of Fenton's oxidation to improve the biodegradability of a pharmaceutical wastewater to be treated biologically was investigated. The wastewater was originated from a factory producing a variety of pharmaceutical chemicals. Treatability studies were conducted under laboratory conditions with all chemicals (having COD varying from 900 to 7000 mg/L) produced in the factory in order to determine the operational conditions to utilize in the full-scale treatment plant. Optimum pH was determined as 3.5 and 7.0 for the first (oxidation) and second stage (coagulation) of the Fenton process, respectively. For all chemicals, COD removal efficiency was highest when the molar ratio of H(2)O(2)/Fe(2+) was 150-250. At H(2)O(2)/Fe(2+) ratio of 155, 0.3M H(2)O(2) and 0.002 M Fe(2+), provided 45-65% COD removal. The wastewater treatment plant that employs Fenton oxidation followed by aerobic degradation in sequencing batch reactors (SBR), built after these treatability studies provided an overall COD removal efficiency of 98%, and compliance with the discharge limits. The efficiency of the Fenton's oxidation was around 45-50% and the efficiency in the SBR system which has two reactors each having a volume of 8m(3) and operated with a total cycle time of 1 day, was around 98%, regarding the COD removal.
authors.affiliation: ENCON Environmental Consultancy Co., Mahatma Gandhi Caddesi 75/3, Gaziosmanpasa, 06700 Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: Okan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bilkay
authors.forename: Selale S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ataberk
authors.forename: Tolga H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Balta
authors.forename: I Haluk
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Ceribasi
authors.forename: F Dilek
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Sanin
authors.forename: Filiz B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Dilek
authors.forename: Ulku
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yetis
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D004345:Drug Industry; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D007220:Industrial Waste; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide