Study of the influence of the operational parameters on the photoelectro-Fenton performance of an industrial wastewater treatment prototype using Orange II as a model pollutant

Abstract

A two-stage photoelectro-Fenton reactor was built and employed to test its ability to remove colour using Orange II as a model dye compound. A set of four critical operational variables was defined for the reactor under study. In order to quantify their significance on colour removal, a 24 experimental factorial design was used. From the resultant data, and from a variable interaction analysis, a model of the reactor's performance as well as a characteristic set of experimental conditions was obtained. From this information, a triple interaction among current density, resin concentration and pH was statistically significant. Hydraulic retention time was not important. The best treatment among those studied was obtained at pH 3, current density 23.9 mA cm−2, and 3.7 g L−1 of resin concentration, with 96% decolorization. The best results with decolorization higher than 86% were obtained at acidic or slightly acidic pH, and higher levels of current density and resin concentration, or lower level of current density and resin concentration.

Keywords

• Water treatment
• Photoelectro-Fenton
• Orange-II
• Industrial prototype
• Advanced oxidation processes