The Chemical Engineering Department at the College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, held the public examination of the PhD dissertation of student Sarmad Abdul-Razzaq Rashid, entitled:
“Synthesis of SiO₂/TiO₂ Photocatalyst and Design of a Photoreactor for Efficient Phenol Removal and COD Reduction from Simulated and Real Refinery Wastewater.”
The dissertation was supervised by Prof. Dr. Wadood Taher Mohammed. The examination committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Muthanna Jabbar Ahmed, with the membership of Prof. Dr. Raghad F. Al-Milly, Ass. Prof. Dr. Samar Kareem Theydan, Ass. Prof. Dr. Forat Yasir Sharrad, and Ass. Prof. Dr. Shaymaa A. Ahmed.
Following the public defense and scientific discussion, the dissertation was accepted.
The study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of photocatalytic processes for removing phenol from synthetic wastewater and reducing chemical oxygen demand (COD) in real petroleum refinery wastewater obtained from the Al-Dorra refinery in Iraq. The research involved synthesizing titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and silica/titania nanocomposite (SiO₂/TiO₂) photocatalysts using the sol-gel technique, in addition to designing and fabricating an innovative photocatalytic reactor to enhance light distribution and reaction efficiency.
The results demonstrated high treatment performance, achieving up to 97% phenol removal efficiency under optimal operating conditions, while the reduction of COD in real refinery wastewater reached 94% efficiency using optimized parameters determined through response surface methodology. The developed photocatalyst also exhibited excellent stability and reusability over multiple treatment cycles.
The findings highlighted the strong synergistic effect between the novel photocatalyst and the locally designed photoreactor, indicating promising potential for cost-effective and environmentally friendly treatment of refinery wastewater. The research contributes to advancing sustainable water management and environmental protection in industrial applications.
