THE PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF TOC AND ORGANIC ACID FROM OLIVE MILL WASTEWATER BY USING UV/H2O2/TiO2/SEPIOLITE NANOPARTICLES

Abstract

The photocatalytic degradation of TOC (total organic carbon) and organic acids from olive mill wastewater (OMW) have been investigated by using TiO2/Sepiolite nanoparticles, UV and H2O2. To get TiO2/Sep. nanoparticles, the nanocrystalline TiO2 anatase phase on sepiolite was sufficiently calcined at variable temperatures (300, 400 and 500 degrees C) for 3 h. The resulting material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements. After TiO2 was loaded on sepiolite, it was seen that the surface area of supported catalysts (TiO2/Sep) decreased from 247.72 to 135.97 m(2) g(-1). Then, the effects of catalyst amount, pH and temperature were investigated in all the experiments for TOC and organic acid removal from OMW. Maximum TOC and organic acid removal rates were observed, respectively, at solid/liquid ratio: 0.25g L-1, pH: 3.0 and 323 K.