Photo-Processes as Effective and Low-Cost Methods for Laundry Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

In this chapter, surfactants as cleansing agent in detergent used in laundry, are described. The negative effects of the laundry wastewater on the environment and human health are highlighted. Several methods examined for laundry wastewater treatment are also illustrated. Among the treatment methods, photo-process in the presence of TiO2 photocatalyst and Fenton reagents are described in more detail. Furthermore, the factors influencing the effectiveness of photo-process including reagent dose, reaction time, and pH are discussed. Additionally, modifications of the photo-process to improve its performance that is associated with effectiveness and operational cost are also demonstrated. The photo-methods discussed in this chapter offered low-cost due to simplicity and effective technique for treating the laundry wastewater.