Enhanced photo-degradation of contaminants in petroleum refinery wastewater

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 36; no. 9; pp. 2167 - 2172
• Main Authors: Stepnowski, P., Siedlecka, E.M., Behrend, P., Jastorff, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2002; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: AOP; Applied sciences; Chlorinated hydrocarbons; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; H 2O 2; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - analysis; Industrial Waste; Industrial wastewaters; Oxidation-Reduction; Petroleum; Petroleum compounds removal; Photochemistry; Photolysis; Pollution; Pollution caused by production, transportation and treatment of oil and oil shales. Water and soil pollution. Treatments. Pollution control; Refinery wastewater; tBME; Ultraviolet Rays; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastewaters; Water Pollution - prevention & control; Water treatment and pollution; H 2O 2; AOP; tBME; Photolysis; Chlorinated hydrocarbons; Refinery wastewater; Petroleum compounds removal; Oil industry; Ultraviolet radiation; Industrial waste water; Chlorine Organic compounds; Chlorocarbon; Physicochemical purification; Oxidation; Refinery; Waste water purification; Experimental study; Hydrogen Peroxides; Photochemical degradation
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/S0043-1354(01)00450-X

In order to rise efficiency of the wastewater treatment in a refinery plant, several oxidation experiments were done, testing their applicability as an additional pretreatment method. The influence of treatment with low concentrations of H 2O 2 combined with stirring and UV light on degradation of organic compounds present in the refinery wastewater was studied. Oxidation of the total petroleum hydrocarbons occurs at relatively low concentrations of H 2O 2, additional UV irradiation slightly accelerates the process due to the increased formation of hydroxyl radicals. 1,2-dichloroethane and t-butyl methyl ether degrade in the similar manner and except for the lowest H 2O 2 concentration used (1.17 mM), the reduction after 24 h is total. The degradation rate for dichloromethane is the lowest one, depending both on hydrogen peroxide concentration and the presence of UV. Its maximum reduction of 83% was obtained using the highest applied peroxide concentration of 11.76 mM.