DECOLORIZATION OF MONO-AZO DYES IN WASTE-WATER BY ADVANCED OXIDATION PROCESS - A CASE-STUDY OF ACID-RED-1 AND ACID-YELLOW-23

Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) have been used as emerging wastewater treatment technologies which can effectively handle various hazardous organics in wastewater and groundwater. The photooxidation of two non-biodegradable azo dyes, acid red 1 and acid yellow 23, were studied in an UV/hydrogen peroxide photochemical reactor with a 5 kW low pressure mercury lamp. It was observed that the decomposition of both azo dyes were pseudo-first order reactions with respect to the azo dye concentrations. Simultaneously, the effects of hydrogen peroxide dosage, pH, initial concentration of the azo dyes and intensity of UV light were also studied. Moreover, the time required for the 50% removal of azo dyes and observed pseudo-first order rate constants were used as parameters to show the efficiency of azo dye treatment.