Treatment of pesticide-containing wastewater cold plasma technology combined with coagulation – flocculation and ion exchange

Abstract

Wastewater containing pesticides is known to be difficult to treat by conventional methods. In this study, pesticide-containing wastewater is treated with cold plasma technology after the suspended particle components being removed. Experiments are implemented in coagulation-flocculation reactor with poly aluminum chloride (PAC) coagulants, then enhanced pH to make basicity condition, and settled for 30 min in the settlement tank in lab condition. Wastewater is then transferred to cold plasma chamber with voltages of 18 kV, at a frequency of 31 kHz, with the flow rate of 1.5 l/min. In order to remove ions created from cold plasma, wastewater from the cold plasma stage is passed through a column consisting of ion exchange material at the flow rate of 1 l/min. The results of study have revealed that a treatment system with combination of these stages show high efficiency in the treatment of wastewater containing pesticides. Waste water after treatment meets QCVN 40:2011/BTNMT standard However, it is necessary to implement further studies to improve the treatment efficiency at cold plasma in wastewater treatment.