The accumulation of synthetic surfactants in industrial effluents presents a significant challenge to global water security and environmental health. This study investigates the synergistic degradation of anionic (Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate - SDBS) and cationic (Hexadecyltrimethylammonium Bromide - HTAB) surfactants using various Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs).
A comparative analysis was performed across these configurations; UV only, UV/H2O2, UV/H2O2/TiO2, and UV/H2O2/ZnO. Our experimental results demonstrate that while standalone photolysis showed limited efficacy, the integration of semiconductor catalysis significantly accelerated the mineralization process through the generation of non-selective hydroxyl radicals (.OH).
Optimal degradation was achieved using the UV/H2O2/TiO2 and UV/H2O2/ZnO system, resulting in a degradation efficiency of 88% for SDBS and 87% for HTAB. The kinetic data suggests a pseudo-first-order reaction model, with ZnO and TiO2 displaying superior photocatalytic activity under standard UV conditions. These findings offer a scalable and sustainable approach to remediating surfactant pollutants in industrial wastewater, aligning with global transition toward greener chemical engineering and the UN Sustainable Development Goal for clean water (SDG 6).
Keywords: Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs), Photocatalysis, Surfactant Degradation, TiO2/ZnO, Industrial Wastewater Treatment.