Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Supervisor

Dr. Ernest K. Yanful

Abstract

Atenolol (β-blocker), Clofibric Acid (Lipid regulators) and Diclofenac (Anti-inflammatory) are the drugs widely used and reported to have adverse effects on fish and other organisms. These drugs are found at trace levels in lakes, rivers and sewage treatment plants and conventional treatment plants are ineffective to eliminate these at those levels. A high resolution LC-MS/MS was used to quantify these drugs at low levels. Various advanced oxidation methods were used for the present research to eliminate these drugs from secondary effluent. Complete removal of PPCPs was achieved by synthesizing immobilized TiO2 on a stainless steel mesh and using a combination of O3/UV/TiO2 a very powerful technique. Although individual advanced oxidation process or a combination of two AOPs were able to remove it to a lesser extent. In2O3 porous microspheres, nanocubes, nanoplates and nano crystals were synthesized and used for treatment of secondary effluent. Results have shown that the complete removal of PPCPs was achieved in shorter duration in comparison to the various AOPs using TiO2. Out of these four In2O3 nano materials, porous microspheres exhibited higher activity compared to others. A deciduous wood biomass was subjected to slow pyrolysis at a rate of 7oC/min in the absence of oxygen to 700oC leading to the formation of biochar (BC). The produced biochar had increased surface area and micro porosity. Batch sorption studies were conducted using biochar, natural zeolite (Chabazite) and chemically activated biochar. It was observed that chemically activated biochar was highly efficient followed by biochar.

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