The intense industry in the modern world pollutes the environment. The pollution is usually caused by solid waste that is not managed properly or by untreated wastewaters. Therefore, wastewater treatment plants are often employed to remove harmful substances from the wastewaters.
The master thesis aims to evaluate the catalytic properties of waste materials used for Fenton oxidation, which is an efficient method for wastewater treatment. We used iron-rich soil from the contaminated area and iron shavings. As model wastewater, we used a solution of propionic acid.
In the experimental work, we focused on the evaluation of the key parameters of Fenton oxidation (pH, H2O2 concentration and amount of catalyst) to gain maximal efficiency, which we determined as removal of total organic carbon (TOC) with time.
As a result, iron-rich soil did not show any catalytic activity, yet, it showed high-grade adsorption capacity. On the other hand, with the use of iron shavings, we were able to reduce TOC by 57 % at optimal conditions.
|