In this study, the treatment of aqueous media containing Astrazon Pink FG (AFG) dye, widely used in the textile industry but with limited studies, was investigated using the Fenton process. The system was numerically optimized as Fe2+: 50 mg/L, H2O2: 50 mg/L, pH 3.75, reaction time: 42.54 min, and initial dye concentration: 100 mg/L based on the principle of low-cost high removal efficiency. The quadratic model with central composite design was reliable, valid, and significant (p < 0.0001) for both system responses Theoretical removal efficiencies under these conditions were determined as 80.5% and 94.11% for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and AFG removal, respectively, and were confirmed experimentally as 81.01% and 94.33% under the same conditions. The performance of the Fenton process under optimized conditions was calculated as 51%, 65%, and 73% for COD, AFG and Methyl Orange removal. Reactive Yellow 86, Acid Orange 7, and Reactive Green 19 were removed as 62.72%, 51.73%, and 39.39%, respectively, from real textile wastewater. The generated sludges (v/v) under optimized conditions for AFG dye solution, binary dye solution and real textile wastewater were 6%, 5% and 7%, respectively. AFG removal best fitted the BMG model (R2 > 0.998). According to the experimental cost estimation based on chemical consumption under optimized conditions, 1 m3 of AFG solution can be treated at $0.26. It was concluded that the Fenton process could be used as a pretreatment for industrial wastewater containing dye.
