comparison of chemical and physical-chemical wastewater discoloring methods

Today's chemical and physical-chemical wastewater discoloration methods do not completely meet demands regarding degree of discoloration. In this paper discoloration was performed using Fenton (FeSO₄ . 7 H₂O + H₂O₂ + H₂SO₄) and Fenton-like (FeCl₃ . 6 H₂O + H₂O2 + HCOOH) chemical methods and physical-chemical method of coagulation/flocculation (using poly-electrolyte (POEL) combining anion active coagulant (modified poly-acrylamides) and cationic flocculant (product of nitrogen compounds) in combination with adsorption on activated carbon. Suitability of aforementioned methods was investigated on reactive and acid dyes, regarding their most common use in the textile industry. Also, investigations on dyes of different chromogen (anthraquinone, phthalocyanine, azo and xanthene) were carried out in order to determine the importance of molecular spatial structure. Oxidative effect of Fenton and Fenton-like reagents resulted in decomposition of colored chromogen and high degree of discoloration. However, the problem is the inability of adding POEL in stechiometrical ratio (also present in physical-chemical methods), when the phenomenon of overdosing coagulants occurs in order to obtain a higher degree of discoloration, creating a potential danger of burdening water with POEL. Input and output water quality was controlled through spectrophotometric measurements and standard biological parameters. In addition, part of the investigations concerned industrial wastewaters obtained from dyeing cotton materials using reactive dye (C. I. Reactive Blue 19), a process that demands the use of vast amounts of electrolytes. Also, investigations of industrial wastewaters was labeled as a crucial step carried out in order to avoid serious misassumptions and false conclusions, which may arise if dyeing processes are only simulated in the laboratory.