Impact of Powdered Activated Carbon and Anion Exchange Resin on Photocatalytic Treatment of Textile Wastewater

Abstract

In order to clarify the impact of activated carbon and anion exchange resin on photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of textile industry wastewater, TiO 2 -based PCO was investigated with aqueous solutions containing the reactive dye Reactive Blue 4 (RB4) and with a textile dye house effluent in the absence and in the presence of powdered activated carbon (PAC) and the anion exchange resin Lewatit MP 500. Addition of Lewatit improved RB4 removal to a larger extent than PAC addition. Contrasting to chloride and sulfate, hydrogen carbonate clearly inhibited PCO of RB4. However, the depression of dye removal by hydrogen carbonate was minute in the presence of Lewatit although the hydrogen carbonate concentration was not markedly decreased. Unfortunately, the beneficial effect of Lewatit addition on PCO nearly disappeared when the Lewatit/TiO 2 mixture was reused three times. This was probably caused by oxidative damage of the resin. Color removal from the real dye house effluent during PCO was improved by Lewatit, but not by PAC. Contrastingly, PAC addition increased TOC removal by PCO from the real wastewater to some extent, while Lewatit had no impact. Sorbent addition does not lead to an acceptable area demand for solar PCO of the dye house effluent.