Removal of coloured compounds from textile industry effluents by UV/H2O2 advanced oxidation and toxicity evaluation.

This study has investigated the reduction in coloured substances and toxic compounds present in textile industry effluent by the use of an advanced oxidation process using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as oxidant, activated by ultraviolet radiation. The investigation was carried out on industrial effluents, both raw and after biological treatment, using different concentrations of H2O2 in a photochemical reactor equipped with a 250 W high-pressure mercury vapour lamp. The results showed that after 60 minutes of ultraviolet irradiation a H2O2 concentration of 500 mg L(-1) was able to remove approximately 73% of the coloured compounds present in raw effluent and 96% of those present in biologically treated effluent.