title: Pilot scale thin film plate reactors for the photocatalytic treatment of sugar refinery wastewater.
abstract: Pilot scale thin film plate reactors (TFPR) were fabricated to study the solar photocatalytic treatment of wastewater obtained from the secondary treatment plant of a sugar refinery. Silver-impregnated titanium dioxide (TiO2) was prepared by a facile chemical reduction method, characterized, and immobilized onto the surface of ceramic tiles used in the pilot scale reactors. On 8 h of solar irradiation, percentage reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the wastewater by Ag/TiO2, pure TiO2, and control (without catalyst) TFPR was about 95, 86, and 22 % respectively. The effects of operational parameters such as, flow rate, pH, and addition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were optimized as they influence the rate of COD reduction. Under 3 h of solar irradiation, 99 % COD reduction was observed at an optimum flow rate of 15 L h(-1), initial pH of 2, and addition of 5 mM of H2O2. The results show that Ag/TiO2 TFPR could be effectively used for the tertiary treatment of sugar refinery effluent using sunlight as the energy source. The treated water could be reused for industrial purposes, thus reducing the water footprint of the industry. Graphical Abstract Sugar refinery effluent treatment by solar photocatalytic TFPR.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Photocatalysis Research Laboratory, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, 605014, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saran
authors.affiliation: Environmental Photocatalysis Research Laboratory, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, 605014, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kamalraj
authors.affiliation: Environmental Photocatalysis Research Laboratory, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, 605014, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arunkumar
authors.affiliation: Environmental Photocatalysis Research Laboratory, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, 605014, India. suja.ees@pondiuni.edu.in.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Devipriya
mesh_terms: D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D002384:Catalysis; D019649:Food Industry; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D007220:Industrial Waste; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D012993:Solar Energy; D013472:Sunlight; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007220:Industrial Waste; D014025:Titanium; D062065:Wastewater; C009495:titanium dioxide
keywords: Ceramic tiles; Pilot scale thin film plate reactor; Silver-impregnated TiO2; Solar photocatalysis; Sugar refinery wastewater treatment; TiO2 immobilization