Organic pollutants removal from petroleum refinery wastewater with nanotitania photocatalyst and UV light emission

Abstract

A real petroleum refinery wastewater, containing a range of aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds, was treated using nanotitania particles, as the photocatalyst in UV/TiO2 process. Samples were collected from the inlet point of the biological treatment unit. A conic-shape, circulating, and upward mixing reactor, without dead zone, was employed. The light source was an immersed mercury UV lamp (400W, 200550nm). Optimal suspended catalyst concentration, fluid pH, and temperature were obtained at amounts of near 100 mg L. © 2012 I. Salas-Garca et al.