Remediation of agro-food industry effluents by biotreatment combined with supported TiO2/H2O2 solar photocatalysis

Agricultural wastewater is characterized by high organic matter and traces of organic pollutants. Effluents from the agro-food industry in particular are a potentially high environmental risk which requires appropriate, comprehensive treatment. This study evaluated the treatment of real wastewater from an agro-food processing plant by an Immobilized Biomass Reactor working in batch and continuous operating modes. Organic matter oxidation and the removal of reference organic pollutants were analyzed. Finally, the efficiency of a photocatalytic tertiary treatment with supported TiO2 for the IBR effluent containing persistent microcontaminants was also studied. After the combined treatment, imazalil and thiabendazole were completely removed and over 90% of acetamiprid had been eliminated, but only with the additional contribution of hydrogen peroxide as an electron acceptor.