Photodegradation of contaminants in bathroom wastewater under UV illumination source

Abstract

Photocatalytic water treatment is well known advanced oxidation method which produces hydroxyl radicals by using nanocrystaline catalyst titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide can mineralize a toxic organic compound into inoffensive end products such as co2 and water. Surfactants or Surface active agents (SAA) are released from various households and industrial activities. SAA present in the effluent stream create the bioaccumulation and serious negative impacts on biotic and abiotic elements of ecosystem. A wide range of SAA found in residential bathroom waste water, SAA can be minimized by using photocatalytic treatment. Photocatalysis process in reactor takes place in the presence of photons and catalyst. Photons are illuminated from UV light source and hence enhance the reaction speed by using suspension state catalyst. Anatase structure titanium dioxide nanoparticles catalysts are activated by UV light source under 180 mins of irradiation time. Surfactants degradation of treated effluent water by photocatalytic treatment can be monitored by total organic carbon degradation. After the treatment the TOC removal efficiency was about 93%.