Hydrology: Current Research

Catalytic Wet Oxidation of Paper Mill Debarking Water: Factors Affecting it

Abstract

Anang Daniel Adjah

The research seeks to investigate the effect of catalyst (1-wt % Platinum on activated carbon) on the wet oxidation process of treating paper mill effluent. The study also assesses the effect of temperature, oxygen partial pressure and initial Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) concentration of debarking wastewater on the contaminants during the catalytic wet oxidation process. Catalytic wet oxidation process was studied at 120-180°C temperature, 0-10 bar oxygen partial pressure, 0-1 g/L catalyst concentration and 1000-3000 mg/L initial COD concentrations. Responses such as COD, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Color, Lignin/Tannin, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and pH were measured and analyzed. In the study, it was realized that changes in temperature, oxygen partial pressure, catalyst concentration and initial COD influenced the oxidation process with the best combination occurring at a temperature of 180°C, 10 bar oxygen partial pressure, 1 g/L catalyst concentration and 3000 mg/L initial COD concentration. At these conditions; 74% of COD, 97% of lignin/tannin, 54% of TOC and 90% of color were removed from the wastewater.