title: Optimization of pharmaceutical wastewater treatment by solar/ferrioxalate photo-catalysis.
abstract: The degradation of a pharmaceutical wastewater using a ferrioxalate-assisted solar/photo-Fenton system has been studied. The photochemical reaction was carried out in a pilot plant consisting of a compound parabolic collector (CPC) solar reactor. An optimization study was performed combining a multivariate experimental design and Neuronal Networks that included the following variables: initial concentrations of H2O2, catalyst Fe (II) and oxalic acid (H2C2O4), temperature and solar power. Under optimal conditions, 84% TOC (Total Organic Carbon) removal was achieved in 115 min. Oxalic acid had a positive effect on mineralization when solar power was above 30 W m(-2). The minimum amount of H2O2 to degrade 1 mol of TOC was found to be 3.57 mol. Both the H2O2 conversion efficiency and the degree of mineralization were highest when the oxalic/Fe(II) initial molar relation was close to 3. HO radicals were the main oxidative intermediate species in the process, although hydroperoxyl radicals (HO(2)(·)) also played a role.
authors.affiliation: University of Castilla-La Mancha, Grupo IMAES, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Avda. Camilo José Cela, 1, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain. josemaria.monteagudo@uclm.es
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Monteagudo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Culebradas
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: San Martín
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carnicer
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004345:Drug Industry; D004867:Equipment Design; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D007220:Industrial Waste; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D010070:Oxalates / Q000737:chemistry*; D019815:Oxalic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods; D012993:Solar Energy; D013472:Sunlight; D013696:Temperature; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010070:Oxalates; D019815:Oxalic Acid; D062065:Wastewater; C034942:ferrioxalate
keywords: CPC; Ferrioxalate; Pharmaceutical; Photo-Fenton; Wastewater