Photocatalytic Degradation of Sugar and Distillery Industry Effluent

In the present study, photocatalytic degradation of recalcitrant pollutants present in the sugar and distillery industry was investigated using TiO2 as photocatalysts. The efficiency of degradation was quantified by several parameters such as the effect of varying pH, initial concentration, catalyst loading, and UV light intensity. The degradation was measured in terms of COD reduction using Titrimetric, Mid-Level method for sugar, and distillery industry wastewater. It was observed that in comparison with UV/TiO2 system exhibited a higher rate of COD degradation. The degradation was found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. On optimization of various parameters, it was found that TiO2 (Degussacp-225) could bring about COD reduction within 6 h for an initial concentration of 2000 ppm of the COD and a catalyst loading of 1 g/L. Increment in UV exposure intensity further enhanced the degradation rate. © 2021, The Institution of Engineers (India).