Scale-up of photoreactor with TiO2 thin layer for wastewater treatment

This study is devoted to the scale-up potential of TiO2/UV photocatalyst for real wastewater treatment including its durability tests. The activity of the prepared TiO2 layers was first tested in a laboratory reactor on key representative pollutants diclofenac, chloramphenicol and triclosan. A special pilot plant reactor of a two-tube system with 21 stainless steel annulets covered by TiO2 thin layers and the inner volume of 3.5 L was constructed. Pilot tests were performed with wastewater from the pharmaceutical industry containing danazol and norethisterone with the concentration varying between 4 and 7 mg L-1 at the flow 18 L h(-1) and municipal wastewater at the output sewage plant for 67,000 inhabitants containing bisphenol A, 4-nonyphenol, estron, ethinylestradiol and triclosan in the concentrations of the individual contaminants varying between 50 and 600 ng L-1 at the flow 200 L h(-1). After the treatment during the pilot photocatalytic test, the concentration of individual contaminants decreased by 82-100%, while no decrease in the efficiency of the photocatalytic process was recorded during the long-term tests lasting for 3-6 months.

Automated summary

This study investigates the scalability and durability of TiO2/UV photocatalyst for wastewater treatment. The results show that the prepared TiO2 layers are capable of effectively reducing the concentration of pollutants in wastewater, and the efficiency of the photocatalytic process remains stable during long-term tests.