Treatment of Pharmaceutical Effluent by Photochemical Oxidation on Titanium Dioxide

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Safiullah, S. | Mohammad, G. | Sabur, M.A. | Howlader, B.K.

Affiliations: Department of Chemistry, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh | Department of Pharmacy, Gono Bishwabidyalay, Mirzanagar, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh | Shovon Group of Industries, Sonargaon, Bangladesh

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: thepaltan@gmail.com

Abstract: The waste effluent from Gonoshasthaya Antibiotic Ltd. (GAL) was treated by photochemical (sunlight) degradation on TiO_2 prepared from ilmenite (FeTiO_3). Results showed that after 18 hours of irradiation, 94% of dissolved organic compounds were degraded to environmentally acceptable products such as CO_2, H_2O and other mineral acids or their salts. The GAL effluent had the initial chlorine content (CC) of 7024 ppm and this increased to 7842 ppm in solar water purifier after 18 hours of irradiation. The concentration of total dissolved solid (TDS) in GAL effluent had 46,000 ppm which was reduced to 2600 ppm after 18 hours of irradiation. The concentration of total suspended solid (TSS) in the GAL effluent was 455 ppm and after 18 hours of irradiation no change in concentration was observed. Furthermore, the relative distribution of the number of compounds decreased with increasing irradiation time.

Keywords: Waste effluents, land degradation, pollution, oxidation

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 45-52, 2012