Microcontaminant degradation in municipal wastewater treatment plant secondary effluent by EDDS assisted photo-Fenton at near-neutral pH: An experimental design approach

• EDDS as an iron chelating agent for photo-Fenton.
• The system is evaluated in terms of degradation efficiency, H2O2 consumption and iron availability.
• Experimental design in a solar simulator is accurately transferred to a pilot scale solar photo-reactor.
• An approach for estimating near-optimal regions of operability is also demonstrated.

This work aims to evaluate the applicability of EDDS (ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic acid) as an iron chelating agent for photo-Fenton treatment of municipal wastewater spiked with organic contaminants at near-neutral pH. A series of laboratory scale experiments are conducted under simulated sunlight in accordance with a central composite experimental design in order to define the most favorable conditions in terms of initial iron concentration (maintaining a molar ratio 1:2 of Fe:EDDS), H2O2 and pH. The system is evaluated in terms of degradation efficiency, H2O2 consumption and iron availability. The simulated system has been compared in terms of degradation efficiency with a 60 L compound parabolic collector (CPC), and significant correlation has been observed. An approach for estimating near-optimal regions of operability is also demonstrated.

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