Abstract

GIRATA SASTOQUE, LINA MARÍA; GUEVARA RODRIGUEZ, JORGE EDUARDO  and  MACHUCA MARTINEZ, FIDERMAN. EXPLORING STUDY ON THE VINASSE TREATMENT BY SOLAR PHOTOCATALYSIS WITH TITANIUM DIOXIDE IN A FALLING FILM REACTOR. Rev. ion [online]. 2011, vol.24, n.1, pp.35-41. ISSN 0120-100X.

Photocatalysis with titanium dioxide and solar radiation becomes as a potential application for vinasse degradation, because its many components could be completely mineralized in low organic load compounds. This paper shows the behavior of treatment for different operating conditions such as initial concentration of catalyst, the initial pH and the dilution factor of vinasse in a solar reactor pilot-scale falling film. The degradation of the vinasse by heterogeneous photocatalysis was quantified monitoring total organic carbon, total solids and turbidity. By heterogeneous photocatalysis average were obtained the highest total organic carbon reduction of 12,33%, but there are a increase of total solids and turbidity of 12,93% and 16,50%, respectively. These results were obtained at acid pH, initial concentration of titanium dioxide of 0,8 g/L and concentration of vinasse of 10% v/v. Moreover, when the process was running in a basic pH, this shows the flocculation process due to the formation of metal hydroxides that act as conventional flocculants.

Keywords : alcohol fuel; heterogeneous photocatalysis; pilot plants; industrial wastewater.

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