Photocatalytic Fenton oxidation of sodium dodecyl sulfate solution using iron-modified zeolite catalyst

The heterogeneous photo-Fenton oxidation of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions was investigated in a quartz batch reactor using an artificial UV light source. Fe-modified zeolite was used as a heterogeneous catalyst in the process. The effect of various process variables on SDS removal performance was evaluated by examining temperature, pH, H2O2 dosage, catalyst loading, initial SDS concentration and light intensity. The optimal operational parameters were found as follows: temperature 35°C, solution pH 7.5, 15 mmol H2O2 dosage, and 1 g/L catalyst loading. Stability and the reuse of the catalyst were also tested. Comparison with homogenous photo-Fenton process was also performed by analyzing SDS removal rate. Kinetic investigation of removal process based on different kinetic models was evaluated. The results showed that the first-order kinetic model was in good correlation with experimental data.