Broadband Characterization Method for Photochemical Systems Used in Hospital Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

Photochemical systems are an alternative to reduce the biological and chemical contaminants persistent in hospital wastewater treatment. Although the photochemical systems are currently used in wastewater treatments, the efficiency of these systems still needs to be studied. In this work, a broadband method to evaluate the efficiency of photochemical systems: UV/H₂O₂, UV/O₃, and UV/H₂O₂/O₃, for hospital wastewater treatments is presented. The method is based on the analysis of the broadband changes in the UV-Vis absorption spectra with the real-time radiation exposure. The results presented indicate that the UV/H₂O₂/O₃ system has a higher percentage of decontaminated water and decontamination speed than the UV/H₂O₂ and UV/O₃ systems. In this regard, the proposed method provides a good alternative to evaluate the efficiency of photochemical systems used in hospital wastewater treatments.