A ferrous oxalate mediated photo-Fenton system: toward an increased biodegradability of indigo dyed wastewaters.

This study assessed the applicability of a ferrous oxalate mediated photo-Fenton pretreatment for indigo-dyed wastewaters as to produce a biodegradable enough effluent, likely of being derived to conventional biological processes. The photochemical treatment was performed with ferrous oxalate and hydrogen peroxide in a Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) under batch operation conditions. The reaction was studied at natural pH conditions (5-6) with indigo concentrations in the range of 6.67-33.33 mg L(-1), using a fixed oxalate-to-iron mass ratio (C(2)O(4)(2-)/Fe(2+)=35) and assessing the system's biodegradability at low (257 mg L(-1)) and high (1280 mg L(-1)) H(2)O(2) concentrations. In order to seek the optimal conditions for the treatment of indigo dyed wastewaters, an experimental design consisting in a statistical surface response approach was carried out. This analysis revealed that the best removal efficiencies for Total Organic Carbon (TOC) were obtained for low peroxide doses. In general it was observed that after 20 kJ L(-1), almost every treated effluent increased its biodegradability from a BOD(5)/COD value of 0.4. This increase in the biodegradability was confirmed by the presence of short chain carboxylic acids as intermediate products and by the mineralization of organic nitrogen into nitrate. Finally, an overall decrease in the LC(50) for Artemia salina indicated a successful detoxification of the effluent.

Characterization and detoxification of a mature landfill leachate using a combined coagulation-flocculation/photo Fenton treatment.

The aim of the present work was to characterize and treat a mature landfill leachate using a coagulation/flocculation process followed by a photo-Fenton oxidation treatment. The leachate was obtained from a landfill in Tetlama, Morelos (Mexico) during the drought season and was characterized in terms of its major pollutants. Considerable levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total carbon (TC) and NH4+ were identified, as well as high concentrations of Hg, Pb, and As. Other heavy metals such as Ni, Co, Zn, Cd, and Mn were detected at trace levels. The lethal concentration (LC50) of the leachate, evaluated on Artemia salina, was 12,161±11 mg/L of COD, demonstrating an antagonistic interaction among the leachate's components. The treatment of this effluent consisted of a coagulation-flocculation process using an optimal dose of FeCl3 · 6H2O of 300 mg/L. The supernatant was treated using a photo-Fenton process mediated with FeCl2 · 4H2O and H2O2 in a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) photo-reactor operating in batch mode using an R ratio (R=[H2O2]/[Fe2+]) of 114. The global removal efficiencies after treatment were 56% for the COD, 95% for TC, and 64% for NH4+. The removal efficiencies for As, Hg, and Pb were 46%, 9%, and 85%, respectively.