Oxalic acid degradation from aqueous solution using ozonation process in the presence of magnesium oxide nanoparticles catalyst stabilized on activated carbon

Abstract

Aims: In this work, activated carbon, magnesium oxide (MgO), and MgO stabilized on activated carbon derived from sweet corn were applied as catalysts for oxalic acid degradation from aqueous. Materials and Methods: Sweet corn pile was used for the production of activated carbon, and magnesium nitrate applied for the production of MgO. Ozone concentration determined using iodometry method, and oxalic acid concentration was determined by a spectrophotometer at 210 nm. Moreover, the effect of MgO, activated carbon and oxalic acid concentration, pH, contact time, and oxalic acid mineralization were investigated. Results: The results showed that ozonation in the presence of activated carbon or MgO and/or MgO stabilized on activated carbon, increased the decomposition rate of oxalic acid. Removal efficiency of oxalic acid with increasing catalysts dose of 0.05-1 g, pH of 3-11, and time of 1-30 min have increased from 72% to 85%, 72% to 85%, and 92% to 95% respectively. Furthermore with increasing of oxalic acid from 40 to 100 mg/L, the removal efficiency decreased from 96% to 88%. Conclusion: According to this study, catalytic ozonation processes have shorter time and more removal efficiently than the single ozonation process. Moreover, the results showed that oxalic acid was mineralized significantly and interfering factors have negligible effect on the catalytic ozonation process than the single ozonation.