Fenton Process For Wastewater Treatment Research Articles

Sustainable approaches to the Fenton process for wastewater treatment: A review

Due to the rapid growth of population and industrialization the generation of wastewater increases many folds and their proper treatment and disposal become very challenging. Several methods for their treatment have been reported but most of them are inefficient to treat the variety of recalcitrant compounds present in wastewater. The effective treatment of such compounds required special attention to protecting the environment and public health. The applications of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in that context have been found very attractive and efficient technologies. Almost all the AOPs are having some limitations, hence the overall purpose is not served successfully. The present review shows the limitations of the classical Fenton process (CFP) and their possible solutions considering sustainable approaches. The three well-known limitations of the Fenton process are; low pH requirement, high dosage of chemicals involvement, and large sludge production. The possible solutions for overcoming the limitations are considered; process optimization strategies, treatment with low Fe2+ dosage, stepwise dosing of the reagents, and sludge reuse systems. So, by applying the above techniques process becomes cost-effective and environmentally friendly, which also favors the 3R’s system; reduce, reuse and recycle.

Graphene modified iron sludge derived from homogeneous Fenton process as an efficient heterogeneous Fenton catalyst for degradation of organic pollutants

Fenton process has emerged as one of the most promising alternative strategies for wastewater treatment. Unfortunately, it is still challenging to deal with iron sludge generated during the process, which is of great importance for practical application. Here, we report a green way to modify iron sludge with low amount (0–2 wt%) of graphene as a heterogeneous Fenton catalyst. XRD, FESEM, TEM, Raman and XPS results suggested that the iron sludge existed as FeOOH particles that were mainly entrapped inside the graphene sheet. BET results confirmed the mesoporous structure of the composites. Under the optimal conditions, the degradation rate of rhodamine B, acid red G and metronidazole by the iron sludge-graphene catalyst reached 99.0%, 98.5% and 91.8%, respectively, within 120 min. Moreover, the as-prepared catalyst exhibited wide pH operating range, excellent stability and reusability. The enhanced heterogeneous Fenton property of the composite as compared to bare iron sludge could be ascribed to the mesoporous structure, increased adsorption ability and the promoted ≡FeIII/≡FeII cycle. This work not only provides a new idea of fabricating heterogeneous Fenton catalysts, but may also promote the application of homogeneous Fenton process for wastewater treatment.

Trends in the Intensification of the Fenton Process for Wastewater Treatment: An Overview

The implementation of increasingly stringent regulations for wastewater discharge has enforced research efforts toward either the implementation of novel treatments or the improvement of those presently available. The literature on the use of Fenton oxidation in wastewater treatment has established this method as one of the most effective and suitable process for the abatement of recalcitrant water pollutants. However, despite the many advantages of the conventional Fenton process, there are issues relative to pH modulation, the cost associated to H2O2 and catalyst consumption as well as to sludge disposal that limit a more extended full-scale application. In recent years, several solutions have been developed for the sake of improving Fenton (or Fenton-like) oxidation as a cost-effective technology. This paper presents a thorough review on the different ways of intensifying the Fenton by using radiation, electrochemistry, and/or heterogeneous catalysts, as well as by optimizing the main operating conditions in the conventional homogeneous system. The application of these enhanced technologies to synthetic and real industrial wastewaters is described and discussed.