Mineralization of bisphenol A by advanced oxidation processes

✍ Scribed by F. Javier Rivas; Ángel Encinas; Benito Acedo; Fernando J. Beltrán

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 300 KB
• Volume: 84
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0268-2575
• DOI: 10.1002/jctb.2085

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Endocrine disruptors, as in the case of bisphenol A (BPA), are increasingly found in aqueous effluents. The degree of mineralization of a bisphenol A (BPA) aqueous solution after applying several oxidation treatments has been investigated.

RESULTS: UV‐C photolysis of BPA allowed calculation of the quantum yield, ϕ~λ=254~ = 0.045 ± 0.005 mol Einstein^−1^ but only 15% of the initial organic carbon content (TOC) was eliminated. Better results (80% conversion) were obtained after TiO~2~ addition. Ozone inmediately reacts with BPA. Again, TiO~2~ addition in the presence of O~3~ was capable of increasing the mineralization level (60%). The photolytic ozonation of BPA was capable of completely eliminating TOC. The presence of activated carbon in the O~3~/UV and O~3~/UV/TiO~2~ systems significantly enhanced the TOC removal reaction rate (100% conversion in 20 min).

CONCLUSIONS: Processes such as ozonation or photolysis are capable of efficiently removing BPA from water however, mineralization levels are rather low. Addition of TiO~2~ to O~3~ or UV‐C significantly enhances TOC removal. The remaining organics still account for an average 20–40% of the initial organic carbon. The combination of O~3~/UV‐C is capable of completely mineralizing BPA. Activated carbon and/or TiO~2~ addition to the system O~3~/UV‐C improves the TOC depletion rate. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry