COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DISTILLERY WASTEWATER TREATMENT BY DIRECT UV IRRADIATION, UV/H2O2 AND UV-PHOTO-FENTON PROCESSES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59957/jctm.v60.i6.2025.15Keywords:
bioethanol, hydroxyl radical, organic pollutants, ultraviolet, wastewaterAbstract
The disposal of distillery stillage wastewater poses significant environmental challenges due to its high organic load and complex composition. Among the commonly used treatment methods are advanced oxidation processes (AOP) such as direct UV irradiation, UV/H2O2 and UV-Photo-Fenton. This study presents a comparative analysis of three methods: direct UV irradiation, UV/H2O2 and UV-Photo-Fenton processes, for the treatment of distillery wastewater. The effectiveness of each process was assessed by evaluating the reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD5). Direct UV irradiation alone showed limited efficacy in degrading the complex organic molecules present in the wastewater. The UV/H2O2 process, involving the photolysis of hydrogen peroxide, demonstrated a moderate improvement in pollutant reduction. However, the most effective treatment was achieved
with the UV-Photo-Fenton process, which combines hydrogen peroxide, ferrous ions, and UV light. This method exhibited the highest removal efficiencies, achieving significant reductions in COD (96.36 %) and BOD5 (94.60 %). The enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic generation of hydroxyl radicals through Fenton chemistry and UV irradiation, leading to more effective degradation of recalcitrant compounds. The study concludes that while each AOP has specific advantages, the UV-Photo-Fenton process stands out as the most promising treatment option for distillery stillage wastewater, offering an efficient and sustainable solution for mitigating the environmental impact of distillery operations.
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