Toxicity assessment of textile effluents treated by advanced oxidative process (UV/TiO2 and UV/TiO2/H2O2) in the species Artemia salina L.

Textile industry wastes raise a great concern due to their strong coloration and toxicity. The objective of the present work was to characterize the degradation and mineralization of textile effluents by advanced oxidative processes using either TiO2 or TiO2/H2O2 and to monitor the toxicity of the products formed during 6-h irradiation in relation to that of the in natura effluent. The results demonstrated that the TiO2/H2O2 association was more efficient in the mineralization of textile effluents than TiO2, with high mineralized ion concentrations (NH4+, NO3−, and SO42−) and significantly decreased organic matter ratios (represented by the chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon). The toxicity of the degradation products after 4-h irradiation to Artemia salina L. was not significant (below 10 %). However, the TiO2/H2O2 association produced more toxicity under irradiation than the TiO2 system, which was attributed to the increased presence of oxidants in the first group. Comparatively, the photogenerated products of both TiO2 and the TiO2/H2O2 association were less toxic than the in natura effluent.