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Catalysis Today, Vol.326, 101-107, 2019
Role of emerging contaminants on solar photocatalytic treatment of organic matter in reverse osmosis concentrate
Emerging contaminants (ECs) are increasingly found in water sources and wastewaters that should be controlled by water and wastewater treatment technologies. Due to their presence in treated wastewater discharges, ECs may end up in reverse osmosis concentrate of municipal wastewaters (ROCm). Being as a worldwide concern, ECs in ROCm (ROCECm), their interactions with other organic components, e.g. natural dissolved organic matter (DOM), and their removal via selected treatment processes deserve to be investigated. The main objective of this study was to investigate the applicability of solar photocatalysis on the removal of organics of synthetically prepared municipal wastewater derived reverse osmosis concentrate (ROCm). For this purpose, ROCm and ROCECm samples were synthetically prepared with respect to physicochemical characteristics reported in the literature. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and carbamazepine (CMZ) were selected as target ECs owing to their common presence in wastewater sources. TiO2 P-25, N-doped TiO2, ZnO and TiO2/ZnO nanocomposite were selected as the photocatalysts. Assessment of solar photocatalysis for its effectiveness on the removal of complex organic matter was presented in comparison to the sole photolytic degradation conditions. Organic fraction of ROCm and ROCECm were monitored mainly by organic carbon content, UV-vis and advanced fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. Expected potential risk was investigated through toxicity assessment in each treatment process as well as under untreated conditions. Based on the kinetic data, performance of TiO2 was found to be superior in comparison to N-doped TiO2, ZnO and TiO2/ZnO nanocomposite specimens under solar simulated reaction conditions.
Keywords:Emerging contaminants;Humic matter;Photocatalysis;Reverse osmosis concentrate;Spectroscopic characterization