AgIn₅S₈/g-C₃N₄ Composite Photocatalyst Coupled with Low-Temperature Plasma-Enhanced Degradation of Hydroxypropyl-Guar-Simulated Oilfield Wastewater

Abstract

The effective treatment and recovery of fracturing wastewater has always been one of the difficult problems to be solved in oilfield wastewater treatment. Accordingly, in this paper, photocatalytic-coupled low-temperature plasma technology was used to degrade the simulated wastewater containing hydroxypropyl guar, the main component of fracturing fluid. Results indicated that hydroxypropyl-guar wastewater could be degraded to a certain extent by either photocatalytic technology or plasma technology; the chemical oxygen demand and viscosity of the treated wastewater under two single-technique optimal conditions were 781 mg·L−1, 0.79 mPa·s−1 and 1296 mg·L−1, 1.01 mPa·s−1, respectively. Furthermore, the effective coupling of AgIn5S8/gC3N4 photocatalysis and dielectric-barrier discharge–low-temperature plasma not only enhanced the degradation degree of hydroxypropyl guar but also improved its degradation efficiency. Under the optimal conditions of coupling treatment, the hydroxypropyl-guar wastewater achieved the effect of a single treatment within 6 min, and the chemical oxygen demand and viscosity of the treated wastewater reduced to below 490 mg·L−1 and 0.65 mPa·s−1, respectively. In the process of coupled treatment, the AgIn5S8/gC3N4 could directly absorb the light and strong electric field generated by the system discharge and play an important role in the photocatalytic degradation, thus effectively improving the energy utilization rate of the discharge system and enhancing the degradation efficiency of hydroxypropyl guar.

Keywords

• dielectric-barrier discharge–low-temperature plasma (DBD–LTP)
• photocatalyst
• oilfield wastewater
• graphitic carbon nitride