Thin-film fixed-bed reactor for photocatalytic degradation of synthetic food dye Sunset Yellow from contaminated waters and optimisation of process by response surface method

ABSTRACT

In recent years, the advanced oxidation processes have been used to treat wastewater containing various dye pollutants through various methods of purification. In this study, the removal of the Sunset Yellow (SY) dye from contaminated water was investigated by UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂ process using a recirculating thin-film fixed-bed reactor (TFFBR). The experiments were designed by the response surface method (RSM) via Minitab software, in such a way that the effects of various parameters on the process are investigated. The effect of different parameters such as reaction time, pH of the solution, initial dye concentration and hydrogen peroxide concentration on the dye removal efficiency has been investigated. According to the results of the screening and optimisation test by the response surface method, the optimal conditions for performing the process were, time of 45 min, pH of 2, hydrogen peroxide concentration of 13.33 mM and initial dye concentration of 10 mg/L. Under optimal conditions, the efficiency of dye removal was more than 97%. Besides, the kinetics of SY dye removal followed the first-order equation.

KEYWORDS:

• Thin film fixed bed reactor
• UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂
• dye removal
• Sunset Yellow
• response surface method

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to gratefully thank from Tabriz branch of Islamic Azad University for their financial supports.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.