Treatment of textile dyeing wastewater using UV/solar photofenton oxidation processes

Colour removal of effluent from textile dyeing and finishing industry is becoming important because of aesthetic as well as environmental concerns. Conventional treatment methods have several limitations. Hence emerging technologies like advanced oxidation processes which were based on generation of hydroxyl free radicals (OH) were investigated. In the present work, photofenton oxidation process was used to treat textile dyeing wastewater and the study was carried out at different Fenton molar ratio's (H2O2/Fe2+) like 25:1, 50:1, 75:1, 100:1. It was found that maximum decolourisation occurred at a fenton molar ration of 50:1 and pH 3. A maximum colour removal of 97% was achieved after a contact time of 30 minutes and 70% COD reduction was observed after a contact time of 60 minutes in UV photofenton oxidation process. Whereas 80% colour removal and 50-55% COD reduction was observed after a contact time of 2 hrs in solar photofenton oxidation process.