Photocatalytic degradation of wastewater generated from the acid esterification of Jatropha curcas L. oil using lahar-immobilized titanium dioxide exposed to ultraviolet light

Date

2011

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

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Abstract

The effect on the wastewater generated from the acid esterification of Jatropha curcas L. oil was investigated by employing different parameters namely lahar-immobilized titanium dioxide, ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide.These parameters were rated in terms of COD reduction of the wastewater. The highest and lowest percent COD reduction obtained in the presence of TiO₂ and ultraviolet light were 25.34% and 14.53% respectively. These low values of percent COD reduction could be attributed to different factors such as reaction vessel, efficiency of ultraviolet lamp and amount of dissolved oxygen. Furthermore, no photocatalytic degradation occurred if either TiO₂ or ultraviolet light was absent in the set up. For the addition of hydrogen peroxide, there was a triple increase in the initial COPD of the wastewater.The reason was the formation ofa triple increase in the initial COD of the wastewater. The reason was the formation of peroxo compounds upon the reaction of hydrogen peroxide and TiO₂. These compounds are also organic therefore contributed to the initial COD of the wastewater. Moreover, the viability of lahar as a photocatalyst support was studied in terms of percent immobilized TiO₂. The highest percent immobilization obtained at 500°C and 250°C were 49.71% and 18.7%, respectively. These values proved that lahar is a viable photocatalyst support. However, it must be heated at higher temperatures to obtain a high percent immobilization. Lastly, the optimum and maximum reusability of lahar-immobilized TiO₂ were investigated using a series of filtrations and photooxidation treatment of one lahar-immobilization TiO₂ set up. After the fourth filtration, the optimum reusability was obtained while the maximum reusability was obtained after the sixth filtration. These two were very important results since it would dictate the economics of the photocatalytic wastewater treatment.

Language

English

LC Subject

Sewage, Titanium dioxide--Environmental aspects

Location

UPLB College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2011 E62 B45

Document Type

Thesis

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