Fenton process is an effective method to treat the concentrated
leachate with high HS components rejected from RO. The
RSM results demonstrated significant effects of three operating
variables (initial pH, H2O2 and Fe2+ dosage) as well as their interactive
effects on six responses (overall COD removal, removal
by oxidation and coagulation, mineralization, HS removal and
sludge volume ratio). The factors most strongly affecting overall
COD removal, mineralization and HS removal are initial pH,
H2O2 and Fe2+ dosages, due to their respective effects on the
removal efficiency of oxidation and coagulation. The dosages of
H2O2 and Fe2+ were the most significant factors for the increment
contribution of oxidation and coagulation removal efficiency
respectively.
By applying RSM, the optimum region for the reactor operation
was located. Experimental findings were in close agreement with
the model prediction. From the present study, it is evident that
the use of statistical optimization approach, RSM, has helped to
identify the most significant operating factors and optimum levels
with minimum effort and time.