Effect of Initial pH for Polluted River Water Treatment Via Pilot Scale Membrane Photocatalytic Reactor (MPR)

Abstract

Conventional technologies as physical, chemical, and biological treatment have low efficiency, tendency towards fouling, and use high energy consumption respectively. Coagulation-flocculation base treatment, nearly 40-60% while the latest technologies as advanced organic process (AOP) with Fenton-reagents nearly to 80-85% in dissolved organic compound (DOC) reduction respectively. It proves that, the emerges technology and new green technology is needed. Therefore, the objective of this study is; (i) to treat polluted river using pilot-scale MPRs with different initial pH of 5, 7 and 9 and adsorption-desorption time contact for 20, 30 and 40 minutes using 0.05 g/L ZnO-Kaolin loading, 225W light intensity, pressured 1 barg and 30 minutes photocatalytic reaction time. (ii) analysing the physico-chemical quality of the water before and after the treatment as turbidity, ammoniacal nitrogen () biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH levels using HACH method with 90.89%, 84.93%, 83.19%, 99.38%, 19.47% and 0.63% removal efficiency respectively. (iii) analysis the kinetic reaction between pseudo-first and pseudo-second order model by using turbidity data. In conducting the experiment, the sample of polluted river water was taken at Sungai Sembrong, Batu Pahat. From the result obtained, when pH 5 and time adsorption-desorption time contact for 20 minutes was the optimum condition in degrading and removing the organic matter. Moreover, it obeying pseudo-second order model which relates with chemisorption process between the ZnO-Kaolin and organic compounds. Overall, MPRs claimed as a promising technology that environment-friendly for wastewater treatment applications.