Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kermanshah University of Technology, Kermanshah, Iran
Abstract
This study investigates the efficiency of the photo-Fenton process in removing Congo red dye from synthetic wastewater. Considering the importance of eliminating colored pollutants from the environment, this research examines the effect of key operational parameters, including Fe2O3 concentration (10, 30, and 50 mg/L), hydrogen peroxide concentration (100, 300, and 500 mg/L), process time (30, 60, and 90 min), and initial Congo red dye concentration (10, 30, and 50 mg/L), on the percentage of dye removal in the photo-Fenton process. The experiments were conducted in a glass reactor using a UV-C lamp as the radiation source, at ambient temperature and with a stirring speed of 350 rpm. To optimize the process and examine the interaction of parameters, the Box-Behnken experimental design method was used, and 27 experiments were designed and performed randomly. Analysis of variance on the results showed that the proposed quadratic model has acceptable accuracy for predicting dye removal efficiency. Furthermore, examination of contour plots revealed that Fe2O3 concentration and initial Congo red dye concentration have the greatest impact on process efficiency. Finally, the optimal conditions for achieving the maximum percentage of dye removal from synthetic wastewater were determined. Under optimal conditions (process time of 30 min, hydrogen peroxide concentration of 100 mg/L, Fe2O3 concentration of 40.99 mg/L, and initial Congo red concentration of 30 mg/L), the maximum Congo red removal efficiency of 99.59% was achieved.
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