Optimization of UV/H2O2/TiO2 process for the treatment of hospital effluent

Treatment of hospital wastewaters has an important role in reducing the discharge of organics and pharmaceutical compounds into aquatic environments. Nowadays, advanced oxidation processes were extensively used for the removal of organic compounds from treated effluents. The study aimed to examine organic compounds removal from real treated effluent of a hospital treatment plant using a lab scale UV/H2O2/TiO2 process by optimizing the process. The effluent characteristics including COD, TOC and DOC were measured and recorded. A hybrid advanced oxidation process (UV/H2O2/TiO2) was used for the removal of organic compounds. The experiments were designed using surface response methodology (RSM). The effects of the independent factors including pH, duration of UV irradiation, H2O2 and TiO2 concentrations on COD, TOC, DOC and the approximate cost of treatment were assessed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimal condition was 7.2 for pH, 50 mg/L for H2O2, 100 mg/L for TiO2 and 19.65 min for irradiation time. This condition provided the maximum removal percentage for organic compounds with a minimum cost. The removal efficiency for TOC, DOC and COD were 63.9, 52.9, and 64.7%, respectively. The treatment cost was approximated to be $ 0.71 per one liter of the effluent. Irradiation and H2O2 concentration had the greatest impact on the cost of the treatment. UV/H2O2/TiO2 process seems to be an expensive process for tertiary treatment of wastewater. However, further investigations are required to evaluate the cost effectiveness of the process for a full scale operation.