Decolorization enhancement of basic fuchsin by UV/H₂O₂ process: optimization and modeling using Box Behnken design

Abstract

The present work deals with the optimization of basic fuchsin dye removal from an aqueous solution using the ultraviolet UV/H₂O₂ process. Response Surface Modeling (RSM) based on Box-Behnken experimental design (BBD) was applied as a tool for the optimization of operating conditions such as initial dye concentration (10–50 ppm), hydrogen peroxide dosage (H₂O₂) (10–20 mM/L) and irradiation time (60–180 min), at pH = 7.4 under ultra-violet irradiation (254 nm and 25 W intensity). Chemical oxygen demand (COD abatement) was used as a response variable. The Box–Behnken Design can be employed to develop a mathematical model for predicting UV/H₂O₂ performance for COD abatement. COD abatement is sensitive to the concentration of hydrogen peroxide and irradiation time. Statistical analyses indicate a high correlation between observed and predicted values (R² > 0.98). In the BBD predictions, the optimal conditions in the UV/H₂O₂ process for removing 99.3% of COD were found to be low levels of pollutant concentration (10 ppm), a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide dosage (20 mM/L), and an irradiation time of 80 min.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Dye pollutant
• advanced oxidation process
• response surface modeling
• COD abatement
• UV irradiation
• hydrogen peroxide

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Mme Hafida LEBIK for giving their valuable comments during the preparation of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Data availability statement

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.