Removal of Water Soluble Phenol by Simultaneous using of UV Radiation and ZnO

Aims: As toxic pollutants, phenol and its solutions in water affect human’s health. Noticing the risk, crucial standards have been provided by different organizations to control concentrations of the solutions in water. The aim of this study was to investigate nano-photocatalytic process of nano ZnO/UV radiation in the analysis of phenol solution in water.
In the laboratory-experimental study, samples of artificial wastewater containing 50, 100, and 200mg/l phenol were poured into a 1l laboratory readymade reactor via discontinuous method. The effects of the parameters of 50, 75, and 125W UV radiation, 0.1 and 0.2 g/l ZnO concentrations, and pH 5, 7, and 9 at 5-30min oxidation times on phenol removal were separately and simultaneously investigated. Final phenol concentration was determined by 500nm wavelength spectrophotometry method.
Findings: After 30min, pH 5 having reached pH 9, the process efficiency decreased from about 93% to 73%. Dose of ZnO nanoparticles having been increased from 0.1g/l to 0.2g/l, the efficiency of phenol analysis led to a decrease in phenol removal from 93.2% to 88.4%. Phenol concentration having been increased from 50mg/l to 200mg/l, efficiency was decreased from 93% to about 71%.
Dose of ZnO nanoparticles, pH, and primary phenol concentration being reduced and oxidation time and UV radiation intensity being increased, phenol removal efficiency increases during the process