Solar photo-Fenton treatment of winery effluents in a pilot photocatalytic reactor

• Solar Fenton oxidation at pilot scale was successful in removing the organic content of actual winery effluent.
• The degree of mineralization is irrespective of the initial iron concentration used.
• The employment of low rather than high catalyst concentration signifies a more effective use of the oxidant.

A pilot-scale solar Fenton process has been applied for the treatment of winery wastewater collected during the vinification period. The importance of the experimental variables was investigated at lab-scale experiments through the application of experimental design methodology. The pilot-scale study was conducted on a pilot CPC photocatalytic reactor under natural solar irradiation. The results show that at low catalyst dose (i.e. [Fe2+] = 5 mg L−1) mineralization (i.e. ca. 50%) is dependent on the oxidant consumption (i.e. 500 mg L−1), irrespective of the excess oxidant present; however, shorter reaction times are required under excess H2O2, indicating higher reaction rates due to higher availability of oxidant molecules in the bulk liquid. Increasing the catalyst dose enhances the reaction rate due to higher H2O2 decomposition and HO
• production. This is corroborated with the lower H2O2 consumption (i.e. 1270 mg L−1) occurring at low catalyst, signifying, however, a more effective use of the oxidant (i.e. less oxidant is required to achieve similar mineralization).

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