Preparation and characterization of CuO catalyst for the thermolysis treatment of distillery wastewater.

CuO catalyst was prepared from copper sulfate by alkali precipitation method followed by drying and calcination. Characterization of CuO catalyst using X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda surface area analysis envisaged the effectiveness of CuO as a catalyst for the treatment of biodigester effluent (BDE) emanated from distilleries. The catalytic thermolysis is an efficient advance treatment method for distillery biodigester effluent (BDE). CT treatment of BDE was carried out in a 0.5 dm3 thermolytic batch reactor using CuO as a catalyst at different pH (1-9), temperatures (80-110°C), and catalyst loadings (1-4 kg/m3). With CuO catalyst, a temperature of 110°C, catalyst loading of 4 kg/m3, and pH of 2 was found to be optimal, providing a maximum reduction in chemical oxygen demand of 65%. The settling characteristics at different temperatures of CT-treated sludge were also presented.

Catalytic thermal treatment (catalytic thermolysis) of a rice grain-based biodigester effluent of an alcohol distillery plant.

The catalytic thermolysis (CT) process is an effective and novel approach to treat rice grain-based biodigester effluent (BDE) of the distillery plant. CT treatment of rice grain-based distillery wastewater was carried out in a 0.5 dm(3) thermolytic batch reactor using different catalysts such as CuO, copper sulphate and ferrous sulphate. With the CuO catalyst, a temperature of 95°C, catalyst loading of 4 g/dm(3) and pH 5 were found to be optimal, obtaining a maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour removal of 80.4% and 72%, respectively. The initial pH (pHi) was an important parameter to remove COD and colour from BDE. At higher pHi (pH 9.5), less COD and colour reduction were observed. The settling characteristics of CT-treated sludge were also analysed at different temperatures. It was noted that the treated slurry at a temperature of 80°C gave best settling characteristics. Characteristics of residues are also analysed at different pH.

Treatment of paper and pulp mill effluent by coagulation.

Pulp and paper mill effluent is highly polluting and is a subject of great environmental concern. In the present research we studied the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour from paper mill effluent, using the coagulation process. A batch coagulation study was conducted using various coagulants such as aluminium chloride (AlCl3), polyaluminium chloride (PAC) and copper sulphate (CuSO4 x 5H20). The initial pH of the effluent had a tremendous effect on the COD and colour removal. The PAC reduced COD by 83% and reduced colour by 92% at an optimum pH of 5.0 and a coagulant dose of 8 mL L(-1). With AlCl3, at an optimum pH of 4.0 and a coagulant dose of 5 g L(-1), 72% COD removal and 84% colour removal were observed. At an optimum pH of 6.0 and a mass loading of 5 g L(-1), 76% COD reduction and 78% colour reduction were obtained with copper sulphate. It was also observed that, after addition of coagulant, the pH of the effluent decreased. The decrease in the pH was highest with AlCl3, followed by PAC and then CuSO4 x 5H20.