Treatment of Wastewater Contaminated with Pesticide (Alachlor) by Solar Enhanced Advanced Oxidation Processes

Abstract

The degradation performance of aqueous solution of pesticide Alachlor has been studied at solar pilot scale plant in two photocatalytic systems: homogeneous photocatalysis by photo-Fenton and heterogeneous photocatalysis with titanium dioxide. The pilot scale system included of compound parabolic collectors specially designed for solar photocatalytic applications, and installed at University of Baghdad, Department of Environmental Engineering back yard. The influence of different concentrations, H2O2 (200-2400 mg/l), Fe+2(5- 30 mg/l) and TiO2 (100-500 mg/l) and their relationship with the degradation efficiency were studied. The COD removal efficiency for homogeneous photocatalytic system at the best dosage was found to be 73.7%. The parent pollutant concentrations which were monitored using HPLC decreased to reach zero level at early time of the experiment. For heterogeneous photocatalytic system the COD removal efficiency was found to be 72.7%.