Sudan black B dye degradation in aqueous solution by Fenton oxidation process: Kinetics and cost analysis

Abstract The presence of dyes in effluents discharged from the textile industries is one of the major concerns of water-living organisms. This study aimed at investigating the Fenton degradation of Sudan black B (SBB) dye in an aqueous solution. The effects of initial dye concentration, Fe2+ concentration, and H2O2 concentration were evaluated based on the removal of color and dye from the solution. Operating costs and kinetics study of the Fenton process were assessed. The optimum conditions were determined as [Fe2+] of 150 mg.L−1, [H2O2] of 100 mg.L−1, and a reaction time of 30 min. Dye and color removals for the different combinations of the process were on average > 80% and >75%, respectively. However, the process was not effective for the excess amount of Fe2+ and H2O2 due to their scavenging effect on hydroxyl radicals (•OH). The degradation process of SBB dye followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the rate constant was varied from 0.0012 to 0.0036 g.mg−1.min−1 for the dye adsorption range of 333–769 mg.g−1. The total operating costs were found in the range of $1.78–6.28 per kg of dye removal in 1 m3 of wastewater. Finally, the outcome of this study proved that the Fenton process is a good option for the treatment of dye-containing wastewater for the sustainable development of the textile industries.