Destruction of aromatic pollutants by UV light catalyzed oxidation with hydrogen peroxide

✍ Scribed by Sundstrom, D. W. ;Weir, B. A. ;Klei, H. E.

• Publisher: American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 484 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0278-4491
• DOI: 10.1002/ep.3300080107

✦ Synopsis

Toxic and hazardous compounds are often present in water at low concentrations, which can make their removal difjicult and costly by conventional treatment processes. A promising method for destroying pollutants in water is ultraviolet (UV) catalyzed oxidation by hydrogen peroxide. The effectiveness of this process was determined for typical aromatic compounds including benzene, toluene, chlorobenzene, phenol, 2-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, dimethyl phthalate, and diethyl phthalate. The reactions were conducted in a quartz annular reactor equipped with a low-pressure mercury lamp. Of the aromatics studied, reaction rates were fastest with 2,4,6-trichlorophenoE and slowest with the phthalates. Analyses of reacted samples by HFLC and GUMS indicated that the aromatics formed many intermediates that could be destroyed by extending the treatment time. An empirical rate expression was developed to correlate the results.