Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) from organized industry district treatment sludges with photochemical degradation: Ambient air applications

Abstract

In the present study, removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds from Bursa organized industry district (OID) treatment sludge with ambient air applications were examined. Effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and diethyl amine (DEA) as photocatalysts were determined. Sludge samples without addition of photocatalysts and with addition of photocatalyst at the ratio of 5% and 20% of dry sludge weight were exposed to the ambient air conditions for 24 hours. The initial total 12 PAH (Sigma(12) PAH) concentration in the sludge was measured as 3268 +/- 170 ng/g of dry matter (DM). It was observed that PAH concentrations in the sludge did not decrease during the ambient air applications when photocatalysts were not used. Sigma(12) PAH removal ratio was calculated as 64% with the addition of 5% TiO2 and this value was reached to 76% with increasing of TiO2 amount to 20% Sigma(12) PAH removal ratios in the UV-DEA experiments were calculated as 67% and 47% when 5% and 20% of DEA were employed, respectively. It was concluded that TiO2 was more effective photocatalyst than DEA to remove PAHs from the Bursa OID sludge during the ambient air applications.