DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY METHOD TO REMOVE THE COLORED COMPONENTS FROM INDUSTURIAL WASTE WATER

Nowadays, synthetic dye context is a vital component in the textile and dyeing industries.The garr ient factories in the free trade zone that are discharging dyes and other colouredcornpounds into waterways pollute the environment. In this project, attempts were made todesign an environment friendly methodology to degrade Azo dyes by means of Eco--efficient techniques. Optimum conditions were evaluated for the redox-degradation of theAzo dyes and some of the dyes that are used in garment industry. The fidelity of theproposed mechanism was confirmed by the spectroscopic and GC analyses. As a reducingagent, metallic iron has fulfilled all the requirements that are prescribed for green chemicalconcepts.The results presented in this report clearly demonstrate that Anthroquinone-2-sulphonicacid is a powerful catalyst, capable of accelerating the reaction rate by orders ofmagnitude. The powdered form of charcoal amalgamated with metallic iron hasfacilitated as a better substrate to adsorb the dye component improving the contacts ofreactant molecules with the catalyst and dye molecules. The experimental results revealedthat pH 4 is the optimum condition for the redox degradation of the dye, which isconfirmed by electrochemical, and thermodynamic calculations. The elevation of thereaction temperature has accelerated the reaction by several orders of magnitude. Todemonstrate the applications in real world a continuous flow reduction apparatus wasdesigned and constructed.

CONSTRUCTION OF A LOW COST AIR SAMPLER AND IT'S APPLICATION IN SAMPLING VOLATILE CARBONYL COMPOUNDS

lntcrcxt is expanding in measuring. concentrations of volatile organic compounds inbuildings since it is rccogniscd that many peoples' exposure to these compounds occur inthe indoor environment. However. such data are not available in Sri Lanka primarily dueto lack 01"proper equipment for quantitation and their high maintenance cost. This paperdcxcribcx the construction of a low cost air sampler (Rs. 40()/=) using commonly availablematerials.The air sampler contains a muffler fan to pull .unhient air though a filrcrts) and/or a bed ofsorhcnt material. which are housed in a variable length pye tube. Battery poweredmuffler fan and lightweight are two of the convenient features of this air sampler thatminimisc operational and transportation difficulties to the user.Vularilc carbonyl compounds such as formaldehyde acetaldehyde and acetone arecommonly found in indoors ambient air due to the combustion sources and emissions fromsvnthcric household products. Since formaldehyde is a known carcinogen andacetaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen compound. they were selected as the modelcompounds for the evaluation of constructed sampler. A filter paper spiked with 2. 4-dinitrophcnylhydruzcnc is used to collect the airborne carbonyl compounds at a flow rate ofI.X Cill'/SCC. Filters were sonicated in methanol and extracts were separated using a C,xcolumn for qu.uuitation at lSO mm wavelength. Quanutaiion limits estimates thats.unpling of I () dm ' ambient air enables minimum quantitauon of O.S formaldehyde. 1.0acetaldehyde and 1.2 acetone accurately. The paper also reports quantified levels ofairborne carbonyls from different indoor environments.