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Optimisation of Photocatalytic Degradation for Enhancing Bathroom Greywater Quality Using 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene/Zeolite Photocatalyst

Tropical Aquatic and Soil Pollution, Volume 6 Issue 1 (2026), Pages 1-17.

Authors: Siti Nor Hidayah Arifin1 ORCID · Paran Gani1 ORCID · Radin Maya Saphira Radin Mohamed2 ORCID · Adel Al-Gheethi3 · Chin Wei Lai4 ORCID · G. Yasni5 ORCID · Kean Hua Ang6 ORCID
  • 1 Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University Malaysia, Miri, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia.
  • 2 Micropollutants Research Centre (MPRC), Institute for Integrated Engineering (I2E), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia.
  • 3 Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
  • 4 Nanotechnology and Catalyst Research Centre (NanoCat), Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • 5 Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
  • 6 Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia.

Abstract

This experimental study investigated a solar photocatalytic degradation process to improve bathroom greywater quality using titanium dioxide nanotubes modified with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and zeolite (TNTs/zeolite). The optimisation framework used Central Composite Design (CCD) under Response Surface Methodology (RSM), with pH, catalyst loading, and irradiation time as independent variables.

Twenty experimental runs in triplicate were evaluated for BOD, COD, TSS, turbidity, pH, and dissolved oxygen. The predicted optimum condition was pH 6.25, 180 minutes irradiation, and catalyst loading of 1 x 1 cm2, which was validated experimentally with removal efficiencies above 50% for key pollutant indicators.

Statistical analysis showed significant model performance (p < 0.0001) and high predictive reliability (R2 > 0.90 for most responses), supporting TNTs/zeolite as a low-energy and practical treatment option for decentralised bathroom greywater reuse.

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Suggested Citation

Arifin, S. N. H., Gani, P., Radin Mohamed, R. M. S., Al-Gheethi, A., Lai, C. W., Yasni, G., & Ang, K. H. (2026). Optimisation of Photocatalytic Degradation for Enhancing Bathroom Greywater Quality Using 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene/Zeolite Photocatalyst. Tropical Aquatic and Soil Pollution, 6(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.53623/tasp.v6i1.1002

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Copyright and License

Copyright Holder: The Author(s), 2026.

This article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

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