Removal of AOX, total nitrogen and chlorinated lignin from bleached Kraft mill effluents by UV oxidation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide utilizing TiO(2) as photocatalyst.

Abstract

The pulp and paper industry is the sixth largest polluter discharging a variety of gaseous, liquid, and solid wastes into the environment. Effluents from bleached Kraft mill effluents (BKME) are polluting waters to a great extent These effluents cause considerable damage to the receiving waters if discharged untreated since they have high levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), chlorinated compounds (measured as AOX), suspended solids (mainly fibers), fatty acids, tannins, resin acids, lignin and its derivatives, sulfur and sulfur compounds, etc. This study aimed to remove adsorbed organic halogen (AOX), total nitrogen, and lignin-degrading products in the wastewater (4,500 m(3)/h) from the paper mill in the pulp and paper industry, which is discharged to sea from a plant located in western Turkey.