Enhancement of Photocatalytic Degradation of Phenol and Chlorophenols by Ultrasound

Solochrome Dark Blue Azo Dye Removal by Sonophotocatalysis Using Mn2+ Doped ZnS Quantum Dots

This work investigates the degradation of the azo dye solochrome dark blue (SDB) by measurement of the photocatalytic, sonocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic activities, under low ultrasonic frequency (40 kHz) and UV-C (254 nm) light, using Mn-doped ZnS semiconductor quantum dots (Mn2+:ZnS Qds) as catalysts, prepared by a simple chemical precipitation procedure. In order to study the different morphological and optical crystal properties, various characterization techniques were used, such as high resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption-desorption at −196 °C and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The average particle size of the semiconductor Qds was in the range of 3–4 nm. The optimal parameters affecting dye degradation, such as the catalyst loading, solution pH, time of irradiation, initial concentration of dye, dopant concentration, ultrasonic power and frequency effect were evaluated. The synthesized catalytic material exhibited a high activity for sonophotocatalytic degradation of SDB (89%), larger than that observed for sonocatalysis (69.7%) or photocatalysis (55.2%) alone, which was due to the improved electron-holes separation, formation of more reactive radicals and enhancement of the active surface area. Qds showed good stability and reusability after five repeated cycles. Finally, the degradation products were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Application of advanced materials in sonophotocatalytic processes for the remediation of environmental pollutants

Significant advances in various industrial processes have resulted in the discharge of toxic pollutants into the environment. Consequently, it is essential to develop efficient wastewater treatment processes to reduce water contamination and increase recycling/reuse. Photocatalytic degradation is considered as an efficient method for the degradation of toxic pollutants in industrial wastewater. However, the use of photocatalytic approaches is associated with numerous limitations, such as lengthy procedures and the necessity for large amounts of catalysts. Hence, it has been proposed that photocatalysis could be combined with other techniques, including sonolysis, electrochemical, photothermal, microwave, ultrafiltration, and biological reactor. The integration of photocatalysis with sonolysis could be remarkably beneficial for environmental remediation. The combination of these processes has the advantages of using uniformly dispersed catalysts, regeneration of the catalyst surface, improved mass transfer, enhanced surface area due to smaller catalyst particles, and production of more active radicals for the degradation of organic pollutants. In this review, an overview on employing sonophotocatalysis for the removal of toxic organic contaminants from aqueous environments is provided. Additionally, the limitations of photocatalysis alone and the fundamental sonophotocatalytic mechanistic pathways are discussed. The importance of utilizing advanced two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials in sonophotocatalysis and the common synthetic approaches for the preparation of 2D materials are also highlighted. Lastly, the review provides comprehensive insights into different materials based on metal oxides, chalcogenides, graphene, and metal organic frameworks (MOFs), which are involved in sonophotocatalytic processes employed for the remediation of environmental pollutants.

Mechanical agitation accelerated ultrasonication for wastewater treatment: Sustainable production of hydroxyl radicals

Low efficiency in energy conversion has long been the bottleneck in sonochemistry-based water treatment technologies. In this work, we reported a simple and efficient strategy by introducing mechanical agitation into a low powered ultrasonic system to facilitate the production of cavitation bubbles. The coupled system remarkably intensifies the evolution of reactive oxygen species (ROS) for degradation of refractory organic pollutants. We in-situ monitored the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) by selective scavenging tests and chemical trapping experiments. The operational factors such as rotation speed, gas atmosphere, solution temperature and pH were carefully evaluated for their impacts on the degradation of a plastic microcontaminant, diethyl phthalate (DEP). It was found that the degradation efficiency is closely related to the population of cavitation bubbles in the solution, which was collaboratively governed by the aforementioned factors. A high mechanical agitation speed (600 rpm), great solubility of inert gas atmosphere (Argon), and low reaction temperature (15 ºC) are beneficial to the generation of cavitation bubbles and the associated production of ROS. This work shows a facile strategy to intensify the mechanical energy-to-chemical conversion and provides new mechanistic insights into the ultrasound-based advanced oxidation without external chemical inputs.

rGO supported self-assembly of 2D nano sheet of (g-C3N4) into rod-like nano structure and its application in sonophotocatalytic degradation of an antibiotic

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) is an analog of graphite due to its unique electronic structure. g-C₃N₄ based materials have been used in photocatalytic applications. However, pure g-C₃N₄ suffers from major shortcomings which include poor disparity, low surface area and a high recombination rate of photo generated electron-hole pairs that significantly reduce its photocatalytic activity. In this work, self-assembly of g-C₃N₄ sheet into rod shaped g-C₃N₄ was developed via a simple polymerisation method. A composite made of g-C₃N₄ nanorods and rGO (rGO-RCN) was also prepared. The band gap g-C₃N₄ was shifted from 2.77 to 2.6 eV evidented by UV-DRS data. As a result, rGO-RCN showed a relatively high absorption in the visible region. Moreover, a fast electron transfer rate was observed with rGO-RCN composite as conformed from PL analysis and photocurrent measurement. The formation of nanorod and sheet morphologies was confirmed via TEM analysis. The photocatalytic activities of prepared sheet-g-C₃N₄ (SCN)_, Rod g-C₃N₄ (RCN), reduced graphene oxide supported sheet-g-C₃N₄ (rGO-SCN) and reduced graphene oxide supported Rod-g-C₃N₄ (rGO-RCN) were evaluated using a commonly used antibiotic (tetracycline). Among these catalysts, rGO-RCN nanocomposite showed sonophotocatalytic activity 3 times higher compared to pure g-C₃N₄. This superior sonophotocatalytic activity could be due to enhanced visible light absorption of the material, active sites generated by ultrasound, and the high electron transport property of rGO.

Graphene oxide-iridium nanocatalyst for the transformation of benzylic alcohols into carbonyl compounds

A catalyst constructed from graphene oxide and iridium chloride exhibited high activity and reliability for the selective transformation of benzylic alcohols into aromatic aldehydes or ketones. Instead of thermal reaction, the transformation was performed under ultrasonication, a green process with low byproduct, high atomic yield and high selectivity. Experimental data obtained from spherical-aberration corrected field emission TEM (ULTRA-HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectra confirm the nanostructure of the title complex. Noticeably, the activity and selectivity for the transformation of benzylic alcohols remained unchanged within 25 catalytic cycles. The average turn over frequency is higher than 5000 h⁻¹, while the total turnover number (TON) is more than one hundred thousand, making it a high greenness and eco-friendly process for alcohol oxidation.

Graphene oxide–iridium nanostructure act as a robust catalyst exhibiting high activity and reliability for the selective transformation of benzylic alcohols into aromatic aldehydes or ketones.

Recent Strategies for Hydrogen Peroxide Production by Metal-Free Carbon Nitride Photocatalysts

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a chemical which has gained wide importance in several industrial and research fields. Its mass production is mostly performed by the anthraquinone (AQ) oxidation reaction, leading to high energy consumption and significant generation of wastes. Other methods of synthesis found in the literature include the direct synthesis from oxygen and hydrogen. However, this H2O2 production process is prone to explosion hazard or undesirable by‑product generation. With the growing demand of H2O2, the development of cleaner and economically viable processes has been under intense investigation. Heterogeneous photocatalysis for H2O2 production has appeared as a promising alternative since it requires only an optical semiconductor, water, oxygen, and ideally solar light irradiation. Moreover, employing a metal-free semiconductor minimizes possible toxicity consequences and reinforces the sustainability of the process. The most studied metal‑free catalyst employed for H2O2 production is polymeric carbon nitride (CN). Several chemical and physical modifications over CN have been investigated together with the assessment of different sacrificial agents and light sources. This review shows the recent developments on CN materials design for enhancing the synthesis of H2O2, along with the proposed mechanisms of H2O2 production. Finally, the direct in situ generation of H2O2, when dealing with the photocatalytic synthesis of added-value organic compounds and water treatment, is discussed.

Kinetics of sonophotocatalytic degradation of an anionic dye nigrosine with doped and undoped zinc oxide

The current research focuses on the photocatalytic, sonocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic degradation of nigrosine dye with nitrogen-doped and undoped zinc oxide powders. The sonophotocatalytic degradation of dye was found to occur at a higher rate than during photo- or sonocatalytic processes. Nitrogen-doped and undoped zinc oxide powders were synthesized by a wet chemical method. Further, scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), electron dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-VIS spectroscopy (UV-VIS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for the characterization of N-doped ZnO. The kinetics of nigrosine degradation were also studied and the results indicated that the degradation kinetics of nigrosine followed the first-order kinetics. The rate constant and the percentage of degradation were found to be highest, 7.33 × 10^-4 (s^-1) and 92% respectively, for sonophotocatalytic process after 90 min of reaction. Due to an increase in the available surface area or active sites of the catalyst, a higher rate constant and degradation efficiency was observed in the sonophotocatalytic system than in the photocatalysis system.

Sonocatalytic removal of ampicillin by Zn(OH)F: Effect of operating parameters, toxicological evaluation and by-products identification

Zinc hydroxyfluoride (Zn(OH)F) sonocatalyst was prepared by using solvothermal method and was characterized by using various techniques. The sonocatalytic degradation of ampicillin (AMP) in water by sonolysis, bare ZnO and Zn(OH)F was investigated in terms of AMP removal, mineralization, detoxification of solution, and remaining by-products at the end of process. Results revealed that the sonocatalytic performance of Zn(OH)F was significantly greater than that of bare ZnO. Under the optimum conditions, the removal percentage of AMP by Zn(OH)F was ∼97% after 90 min reaction, while 51% and 36% COD and TOC removal were achieved after 120 min reaction, respectively. The study of Zn(OH)F stability revealed that the degradation efficiency of AMP was reduced by only 5% even after being reused for four experiments. The toxicity of initial and treated solutions was assessed by using agar-well diffusion method and ToxTrak^™ toxicity assay, and the results indicated a substantial reduction in the toxicity of solution after the treatment. The formation of some by-products during the sonolysis and sonocatalysis was evaluated by LC-HR-MS/MS method. LC-HR-MS/MS results showed that the concentration of most by-products, which were produced after 90 min treatment by US/Zn(OH)F process, was considerably lower than those obtained during sonolysis and US/ZnO processes.

Removal of organic matter and ammoniacal nitrogen from landfill leachate using the UV/H2O2 photochemical process

This study investigates the effects of pH, H₂O₂ concentration and reaction time of the UV/H₂O₂ photochemical process on the removal of organic matter and ammonia from biologically pre-treated landfill leachates in anaerobic stabilization ponds. The results show that the concentration of H₂O₂ and the initial pH are significant factors, with no significant interaction between them. A pH of 3 is the optimum value for the UV/H₂O₂ process for the removal of organic matter, resulting in 51.63% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in addition to the removal of aromatic compounds. The N-NH₃ removal showed little variation between pH values of 1, 5, 7, 11 and 13; the removal was on the order of 16.43 ± 2.00%. The consumption of H₂O₂ was elevated at pH 9, 11 and 13; at these pH values, the average removal was 94.56 ± 0.43%, compared to 43.07% at pH 3. First-order polynomial models and reaction times on the order of 15 min are sufficient for optimization studies and for evaluation of the effects of the studied parameters. The results of this study support the optimization of the UV/H₂O₂ process for the removal of organic matter and ammonia from landfill leachates.

Conductive diamond: synthesis, properties, and electrochemical applications

This review summarizes systematically the growth, properties, and electrochemical applications of conductive diamond.

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) supported electron deficient B-doped TiO2 (Au/B-TiO2/rGO) nanocomposite: An efficient visible light sonophotocatalyst for the degradation of Tetracycline (TC)

Incorporation of electron deficient boron atoms along with Au doped TiO₂ in the presence of rGO support was synthesized by hydrothermal method and demonstrated for the sonophotocatalytic degradation of TC under visible light illumination. The successful incorporation of electron deficient boron atoms and Au on TiO₂ was considerably enhanced the optical absorption towards visible region due to the formation acceptor energy levels below to the conduction band of TiO₂ by boron doping and surface plasmonic effect of Au. Moreover, formation of acceptor energy levels and introduction of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) support significantly improved the electron-hole pair separation and transportation which were supported by UV-vis-DRS, photo-current and photoluminescence measurements. The individual effect of photocatalysis and ultrasound for the TC degradation was found to be 45% and 12%, respectively. Importantly, a complete degradation (100%) of TC was achieved with 1.3 folds synergistic effect when ultrasound coupled with photocatalysis in 1 h. The enhanced degradation activity was mainly attributed to combined effect of rapid electron-hole pair separation facilitated by electron deficient B-atoms and rGO support and physical forces of ultrasound as well. In addition, ∼74% of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal was achieved within 1 h which further confirmed the effective demineralization of TC by the Au/B-TiO₂/rGO composite.

MnO2 efficiently removes indigo carmine dyes from polluted water

MnO2 is identified as a highly efficient sonocatalyst and sonophotocatalyst for the complete removal of even very small concentration of Indigo carmine (IC) dye pollutant from water. The effect of various reaction parameters, viz. dosage of the catalyst, concentration of pollutant, volume of reaction system, pH, dissolved gases, presence of anions/salts and oxidants etc. on the rate of degradation is evaluated and optimum parameters are identified. The degradation follows variable kinetics depending on the concentration of the substrate. The rate of degradation is facilitated by acidic pH. Classic oxidants H2O2 and S2O8 2- behave differently, with the former inhibiting and the latter enhancing the degradation. The effect of anions/salts on the degradation is complex and ranges from 'inhibition' (PO4 3-, CO3 2-, HCO3 -) and 'no effect' (SO4 2-, Cl-) to 'enhancement' (NO3 -, CH3COO-). The high affinity of MnO2 for O2 and its extremely efficient adsorption of H2O2 and the substrate play key roles in the efficiency of the process. Participation of lattice oxygen from MnO2 in the reaction, whenever the dissolved or adsorbed oxygen is deficient, is an important highlight of the process. Major transient intermediates formed during the process are identified by LC-MS. Combination of sonocatalysis with UV photolysis (sonophotocatalysis) enhances the efficiency of degradation and mineralization of IC.

Efficient interfacial charge transfer through plasmon sensitized Ag@Bi2O3 hierarchical photoanodes for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of chlorinated phenols

Understanding the interfacial charge transfer behavior of plasmonically active Ag decorated hierarchical Bi₂O₃ photoanodes for the photo-electro-oxidation of chlorinated phenols.

Solar-Light-Driven Improved Photocatalytic Performance of Hierarchical ZnIn2S4 Architectures

In the quest for developing novel narrow band gap semiconductor materials, the research in metal chalcogenides has gained a strong attraction. In the present investigation, a surfactant-free hydrothermal route has been followed to design hierarchical self-assembled flower-like ZnIn₂S₄ structures through control over precursor concentration and hydrothermal processing parameters. Uniform hexagonal marigold flower-like ZnIn₂S₄ architectures (∼4 μm) were formed with self-assembly of petals (thickness ∼8-12 nm) forming rose-like structures and finally forming marigold flowers in 24 h duration. The hierarchical ZnIn₂S₄ flower structure has been used as photocatalysts for the degradation of dye and chlorinated phenols. Photodegradation demonstrates that the high surface area from the porous flower architecture (∼72 m²/g) with an enhanced visible light absorption giving low band gap energy (2.15 eV) is responsible for higher photocatalytic performance. Complete degradation of the organic pollutants has been observed within 90 min in the presence of natural sunlight. To understand the participating reactive species contributing to degradation, scavenger studies were performed for deducing the plausible photocatalytic degradation pathways. This study might open new insights into the design of novel hierarchical structures.

Intensification of abamectin pesticide degradation using the combination of ultrasonic cavitation and visible-light driven photocatalytic process: Synergistic effect and optimization study

Degradation of abamectin pesticide was carried out using visible light driven Cu₂(OH)PO₄-HKUST-1 MOF photocatalyst through the sonophotocatalytic technique. Cu₂(OH)PO₄-HKUST-1 MOF as a visible-light driven photocatalyst, was synthesized and characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS and DRS. The direct bang gaps of HKUST-1 MOF and Cu₂(OH)PO₄-HKUST-1 MOF were estimated about 2.63 and 2.59eV, respectively, which reveals that these photocatalysts can be activated under blue light illumination. All sonophotodegradation experiments were performed using a continuous flow-loop reactor. The central composite design (CCD) methodology was applied for modeling, optimization and investigation of influence of operational parameters, i.e. irradiation time, pH, solution flow rate, oxygen flow rate, initial concentration and photocatalyst dosage on the sonophotocatalytic degradation of abamectin. The maximum degradation efficiency of 99.93% was found at optimal values as 20min, 4, 90mL/min, 0.2mL/min, 30mg/L and 0.4g/L, for irradiation time, pH, solution flow rate, oxygen flow rate, initial concentration and photocatalyst dosage, respectively. Evaluation of the synergism in the combination of ultrasonic and photocatalysis lead to a synergistic index of 2.19, which reveals that coupling of ultrasonic and photocatalysis has a greater efficiency than the sum of individual procedures for degradation of abamectin.

Development of an empirical kinetic model for sonocatalytic process using neodymium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles

The degradation of Acid Blue 92 (AB92) solution was investigated using a sonocatalytic process with pure and neodymium (Nd)-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The 1% Nd-doped ZnO nanoparticles demonstrated the highest sonocatalytic activity for the treatment of AB92 (10 mg/L) with a degradation efficiency (DE%) of 86.20% compared to pure ZnO (62.92%) and sonication (45.73%) after 150 min. The results reveal that the sonocatalytic degradation followed pseudo-first order kinetics. An empirical kinetic model was developed using nonlinear regression analysis to estimate the pseudo-first-order rate constant (kapp) as a function of the operational parameters, including the initial dye concentration (5-25 mg/L), doped-catalyst dosage (0.25-1 g/L), ultrasonic power (150-400 W), and dopant content (1-6% mol). The results from the kinetic model were consistent with the experimental results (R(2)=0.990). Moreover, DE% increases with addition of potassium periodate, peroxydisulfate, and hydrogen peroxide as radical enhancers by generating more free radicals. However, the addition of chloride, carbonate, sulfate, and t-butanol as radical scavengers declines DE%. Suitable reusability of the doped sonocatalyst was proven for several consecutive runs. Some of the produced intermediates were also detected by GC-MS analysis. The phytotoxicity test using Lemna minor (L. minor) plant confirmed the considerable toxicity removal of the AB92 solution after treatment process.

Effects of Na2SO4 or NaCl on sonochemical degradation of phenolic compounds in an aqueous solution under Ar: Positive and negative effects induced by the presence of salts

Sonochemical degradation of 4-chlorophenol, phenol, catechol and resorcinol was studied under Ar at 200 kHz in the absence and presence of Na2SO4 or NaCl. The rates of sonochemical degradation in the absence of salts decreased in the order 4-chlorophenol>phenol>catechol>resorcinol and this order was in good agreement with the order of log P (partition coefficient) value of each phenolic compound. The effects of salts on the rates of sonochemical degradation consisted of no effect or slight negative or positive effects. We discussed these unclear results based on two viewpoints: one was based on the changes in pseudo hydrophobicity and/or diffusion behavior of phenolic compounds and the other was based on the changes in solubility of Ar gas. The measured log P value of each phenolic compound slightly increased with increasing salt concentration. In addition, the dynamic surface tension for 4-chlorophenol aqueous solution in the absence and presence of Na2SO4 or NaCl suggested that phenolic compounds more easily accumulated at the interface region of bubbles at higher salt concentration. These results indicated that the rates of sonochemical degradation should be enhanced by the addition of salts. On the other hand, the calculated Ar gas solubility was confirmed to decrease with increasing salt concentration. The yield of H2O2 formed in the presence of Na2SO4 or NaCl decreased with increasing salt concentration. These results suggested that sonochemical efficiency decreased with decreasing gas amount in aqueous solution: a negative effect of salts was observed. Because negative and positive effects were induced simultaneously, we concluded that the effects of salts on the rates of sonochemical degradation of phenolic compounds became unclear. The products formed from sonochemical degradation of 4-chlorophenol were also characterized by HPLC analysis. The formation of phenol and 4-chloro-1,3-dihydroxy benzene was confirmed and these concentrations were affected by the presence of salts.

Enhanced photocatalytic-electrolytic degradation of Reactive Brilliant Red X-3B in the presence of water jet cavitation

Photocatalysis, electrolysis, water jet cavitation (WJC), alone and in combinations were applied to degrade an azo dye, Reactive Brilliant Red X-3B (X-3B). Experiments were conducted in a 4.0 L aqueous solution with different initial dye concentrations, TiO₂ dose, and solution pH. WJC substantially increased the photocatalytic, electrolytic and photocatalytic-electrolytic rates of the dye removal. The observed first-order rate of X-3B decolorization in the process of combined photocatalysis and electrolysis coupled with WJC was 1.6-2.9 times of that in the process of combined photocatalysis and electrolysis coupled with mechanical stirring. The rate enhancements may be attributed primarily to the reduced diffusion layer thickness on the electrodes and the deagglomeration of photocatalyst particles due to the chemical and physical effects of WJC. Under the conditions of 80 mg/L X-3B solution, 100 mg/L TiO₂ dose and solution pH 6.3, 97% and 71% of color and chemical oxygen demand (CODCr) were removed, respectively, within 90-min photocatalytic-electrolytic treatment coupled with WJC. During this process, azo groups and naphthalene, benzene and triazine structures of the dye can be destroyed. Industrial textile effluent was also investigated, and a positive synergistic effect between photocatalytic-electrolytic system and WJC was observed considering color removal.

The effects of hydrogen peroxide on the sonochemical degradation of phenol and bisphenol A

This report describes the effects of H2O2 concentration (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10mM) on the sonochemical degradation of phenol and bisphenol A (BPA) using an ultrasonic source of 35kHz and 0.08W/mL. The concentration of the target pollutants (phenol or BPA), total organic carbon (TOC), and H2O2 were monitored for each input concentration of H2O2. The effects of H2O2 on the sonochemical degradation of phenol was more significant than that of BPA because phenol has a high solubility and low octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) value and is subsequently very likely to remain in the aqueous phase, giving it a greater probability of reacting with H2O2. The removal of TOC was also enhanced by the addition of H2O2. Some intermediates of BPA have a high Kow value and subsequently have a greater probability of pyrolyzing by the high temperatures and pressures inside of cavitation bubbles. Thus the removal efficiency of TOC in BPA was higher than that of phenol. The removal efficiencies of TOC were lower than the degradation efficiencies of phenol and BPA. This result is due to the fact that some intermediates cannot readily degrade during the sonochemical reaction. The H2O2 concentration decreased but was not completely consumed during the sonochemical degradation of pollutants. The initial H2O2 concentration and the physical/chemical characteristics of pollutants were considered to be important factors in determining the formation rate of the H2O2. When high concentration of H2O2 was added to the solution, the formation rates were relatively low compared to when low concentrations of H2O2 were used.

Ultrasound (US), Ultraviolet light (UV) and combination (US+UV) assisted semiconductor catalysed degradation of organic pollutants in water: oscillation in the concentration of hydrogen peroxide formed in situ

Application of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) such as sono, photo and sonophoto catalysis in the purification of polluted water under ambient conditions involve the formation and participation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) like ·OH, HO2·, O2(-), H2O2 etc. Among these, H2O2 is the most stable and is also a precursor for the reactive free radicals. Current investigations on the ZnO mediated sono, photo and sonophoto catalytic degradation of phenol pollutant in water reveal that H2O2 formed in situ cannot be quantitatively correlated with the degradation of the pollutant. The concentration of H2O2 formed does not increase corresponding to phenol degradation and reaches a plateau or varies in a wave-like fashion (oscillation) with well defined crests and troughs, indicating concurrent formation and decomposition. The concentration at which decomposition overtakes formation or formation overtakes decomposition is sensitive to the reaction conditions. Direct photolysis of H2O2 in the absence of catalyst or the presence of pre-equilibrated (with the adsorption of H2O2) catalyst in the absence of light does not lead to the oscillation. The phenomenon is more pronounced in sonocatalysis, the intensity of oscillation being in the order sonocatalysis>photocatalysis⩾sonophotocatalysis while the degradation of phenol follows the order sonophotocatalysis>photocatalysis>sonocatalysis>sonolysis>photolysis. In the case of sonocatalysis, the oscillation continues for some more time after discontinuing the US irradiation indicating that the reactive free radicals as well as the trapped electrons and holes which interact with H2O2 have longer life time (memory effect).

Degradation of diclofenac sodium using combined processes based on hydrodynamic cavitation and heterogeneous photocatalysis

Diclofenac sodium, a widely detected pharmaceutical drug in wastewater samples, has been selected as a model pollutant for degradation using novel combined approach of hydrodynamic cavitation and heterogeneous photocatalysis. A slit venturi has been used as cavitating device in the hydrodynamic cavitation reactor. The effect of various operating parameters such as inlet fluid pressure (2-4 bar) and initial pH of the solution (4-7.5) on the extent of degradation have been studied. The maximum extent of degradation of diclofenac sodium was obtained at inlet fluid pressure of 3 bar and initial pH as 4 using hydrodynamic cavitation alone. The loadings of TiO2 and H2O2 have been optimised to maximise the extent of degradation of diclofenac sodium. Kinetic study revealed that the degradation of diclofenac sodium fitted first order kinetics over the selected range of operating protocols. It has been observed that combination of hydrodynamic cavitation with UV, UV/TiO2 and UV/TiO2/H2O2 results in enhanced extents of degradation as compared to the individual schemes. The maximum extent of degradation as 95% with 76% reduction in TOC has been observed using hydrodynamic cavitation in conjunction with UV/TiO2/H2O2 under the optimised operating conditions. The diclofenac sodium degradation byproducts have been identified using LC/MS analysis.

Removal of Ammonia Nitrogen from Landfill Leachate by Ultrasound/Ultraviolet Process

Landfill leachate treatment is a major problem to be solved in the field of environmental protection, and ammonia nitrogen is one of the major pollutants in landfill leachate, whose processing technology needs further improvement. In this paper, ultrasound/ultraviolet co-oxidation technology was directly applied to the treatment of high concentration landfill leachate without the pretreatment operations of dilution, filter, and adjusting the pH conditions. The results showed that: ultrasonic and ultraviolet had certain effects on the ammonia nitrogen removal, and the ammonia nitrogen removing effects became better when the ultrasonic power was greater, or the ultraviolet wavelength was shorter. When the ultrasonic power was 100 W, the ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency was 25.2%, and the UV of 254 nm could decompose 20.2% of the ammonia nitrogen in landfill leathate. In the condition of aeration, ultrasonic and ultraviolet had good synergistic effect on leachate ammonia nitrogen treatment. When the ultrasonic power was 100 W, UV wavelength was 254 nm, and the aeration rate was 150 L/h, the ammonia removal efficiency of high concentration leachate (ammonia nitrogen concentration of 1800 mg/L) reached 98.5% after 6 hours. The paper's research results provide a useful reference for the removal of landfill leachate ammonia nitrogen.

Phenol degradation under visible light irradiation in the continuous system of photocatalysis and sonolysis

The combination of photocatalysis under visible light irradiation and sonolysis in the continuous system has been used to degrade an aqueous solution of phenol. ZnFe(2)O(4)/TiO(2)-GAC was employed as the photocatalysts which were obtained by sol-gel process and characterized by spectroscopic X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray microanalyses (SEM-EDX) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller sorptometer (BET). It was observed that the rates of phenol degradation were affected by the initial pH value of phenol solution, salt addition, gas supplying and the recycling times of the recovered photocatalyst. The kinetic law for the phenol degradation can be apparently expressed as the first-order with respect to the concentration of phenol. Degradation of phenol solution in the continuous system, i.e., photocatalysis and sonolysis has synergistic effect in comparison with the photocatalytic reaction and sonolysis, respectively.

Dual-frequency (20/40 kHz) ultrasonic assisted photocatalysis for degradation of methylene blue effluent: synergistic effect and kinetic study

Dual-frequency ultrasonic assisted photocatalysis (DUAP) was proposed to enhance the degradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) solution. The influence of operational parameters, i.e., irradiation time, ultrasonic arrangement, TiO(2) concentration and power density, was studied. The results implied that the rapid degradation of MB solution was achieved in 18 min under DUAP with the dual frequencies of 20/40 kHz. Kinetic investigation of MB degradation for the DUAP process was conducted on the basis of first-order kinetic equation and the synergistic effect was assessed by examination of the apparent rate constant. The effect of ultrasonic arrangement was analyzed by comparison of the pressure amplitude of ultrasonic superposition field. The evolvement of intermediate products and the role of active species during DUAP were distinguished by UV-Vis spectra and the free radical scavenging experiment.

Treatment Methods for the Remediation of Amines: A Review

Various organic amines, most of which both toxic and carcinogenic, are being used extensively worldwide in the syntheses of azo-dyes, polyurethane, pesticides, nylon and many other nitro-aromatics. However, the uncontrolled discharge of these products, back into the environment, releases many primary or intermediate products with similar or even worse levels of toxicity. Therefore, knowledge of the degradation and complete mineralization of these amines, using best techniques with optimum efficiency, is needed. This review is aimed at summarizing the existing studies used for the degradation of amines, employing techniques, such as; biodegradation, thermal, chemical, electrochemical, photochemical, photocatalytic, sonochemical, sono-photo catalytic and sono-ozonation processes. The reactor design for the large scale degradation with optimum efficacy has also been discussed besides attempting a structural correlation to save the environment from such chemical hazards.

Degradation of C.I. Reactive Red 2 through photocatalysis coupled with water jet cavitation

The decolorization of an azo dye, C.I. Reactive Red 2 was investigated using TiO(2) photocatalysis coupled with water jet cavitation. Experiments were performed in a 4.0 L solution under ultraviolet power of 9 W. The effects of TiO(2) loading, initial dye concentration, solution pH, geometry of cavitation tube, and the addition of anions on the degradation of the dye were evaluated. Degradation of the dye followed a pseudo-first order reaction. The photocatalysis coupled with water jet cavitation elevated degradation of the dye by about 136%, showing a synergistic effect compared to the individual photocatalysis and water jet cavitation. The enhancement of photocatalysis by water jet cavitation could be due to the deagglomeration of catalyst particles as well as the better contact between the catalyst surfaces and the reactants. Venturi tube with smaller diameter and shorter length of throat tube favored the dye decolorization. The degradation efficiency was found to increase with decreasing initial concentration and pH. The presence of NO(3)(-) and SO(4)(2-) enhanced the degradation of RR2, while Cl(-), and especially HCO(3)(-) significantly reduced dye decolorization. The results of this study indicated that the coupled photocatalysis and water jet cavitation is effective in degrading dye in wastewater and provides a promising alternative for treatment of dye wastewater at a large scale.

Sonophotocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol using Bi2O3/TiZrO4 as a visible light responsive photocatalyst

The oxidative degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) by sonolytic, photocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic processes was studied in aqueous solutions using Bi(2)O(3)/TiZrO(4) as a visible light driven photocatalyst and with 20 kHz ultrasound. The results reveal that Bi(2)O(3)/TiZrO(4) is an efficient photocatalyst capable of degrading 4-CP by both photocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic processes. During the sonolysis of 4-CP solutions, HPLC results showed the formation of a number of intermediate products, whereas, no such intermediates were formed during the sonophotocatalytic degradation of 4-CP. TOC results showed rapid mineralization of 4-CP during the sonophotocatalytic degradation process, relative to that observed with sonolysis alone. The results reveal a clear advantage in using a coupled method for the oxidation of 4-CP and a cumulative effect was observed. Further, the solution pH had no specific influence on the sonophotocatalytic degradation of 4-CP, unlike the situation for sonolysis alone where the degradation rate decreased as the pH was raised from acidic to basic conditions. The combined sonophotocatalytic degradation process was found to be simple to apply and has the potential to be a powerful method for the remediation of organic contaminants present in water and wastewater.

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) involving ultrasound for waste water treatment: a review with emphasis on cost estimation

Two things are needed for any technology to be suitable for use in the industry, viz. 1. Technical feasibility and 2. Economical feasibility. The use of ultrasound for waste water treatment has been shown to be technically feasible by numerous reports in the literature over the years. But there are hardly any exhaustive reports which address the issue of economical feasibility of the use of ultrasound for waste water treatment on industrial scale. Hence an attempt was made to estimate the cost for the waste water treatment using ultrasound. The costs have been calculated for 1000 L/min capacity treatment plant. The costs were calculated based upon the rate constants for pollutant degradation. The pollutants considered were phenol, trichloroethylene (TCE) and reactive azo dyes. Time required for ninety percent degradation of pollutant was taken as the residence time. The amount of energy required to achieve the target degradation was calculated from the energy density (watt/ml) used in the treatability study. The cost of treatment was calculated by considering capital cost and operating cost involved for the waste water treatment. Quotations were invited from vendors to ascertain the capital cost of equipments involved and operating costs were calculated based on annual energy usage. The cost was expressed in dollars per 1000 gallons of waste water treated. These treatment costs were compared with other established Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) technologies. The cost of waste water treatment for phenol was in the range of $89 per 1000 gallons for UV/US/O(3) to $15,536 per 1000 gallons for US alone. These costs for TCE were in the range of $25 per 1000 gallons to $91 for US+UV treatment and US alone, respectively. The cost of waste water treatment for reactive azo dyes was in the range of $65 per 1000 gallon for US+UV+H(2)O(2) to $14,203 per 1000 gallon for US alone. This study should help in quantifying the economics of waste water treatment using ultrasound on industrial scale. We strongly believe that this study will immensely help the researchers working in the area of applications of ultrasound for waste water treatment in terms of where the technology stands today as compared to other available commercial AOP technologies. This will also help them think for different ways to improve the efficiency of using ultrasound or search for other ways of generating cavitation which may be more efficient and help reduce the cost of treatment in future.

Sono-assisted photocatalytic degradation of styrene-acrylic acid copolymer in aqueous media with nano titania particles and kinetic studies

The ultrasonic irradiation (28 kHz, 50 W) in pre-cavitations regime was employed to enhance the degradation rate of styrene-acrylic acid copolymer in aqueous media with nano titania photocatalyst particles. A stainless steel cylindrical sono-photo reactor with capacity of about 1.25 L, equipped with a UV lamp (250 W) was used. The influence of operational parameters, i.e. catalyst concentration, pH and temperature was studied and the role of active species was also distinguished. For an initial substrate concentration of 30 mg L(-1), under mild applied conditions of 30 mg L(-1) of photocatalyst, 25 degrees C and natural pH, a degradation and mineralization conversion of 96% and 91%, respectively, was achieved using sono-assisted photocatalysis process in about only 60 min. These efficiencies are much higher than those obtained with only photocatalysis process. Meanwhile, the threshold of cavitations was found corresponded to catalyst concentration of about 70 mg L(-1). Kinetic studies based on Langmuir-Hinshelwood and power law models in addition to the results from radical scavenger usage revealed that for sono-assisted process, the substrate undergoes degradation mainly via electron-hole redox on the surface of titania particles. It is while for the only photocatalysis process, the reaction proceeds via hydroxyl radicals in the solution bulk.

Sonochemical degradation of 2chloro-5methyl phenol assisted by TiO2 and H2O2

The degradation of 2chloro-5methyl phenol (2C-5MP) in aqueous solution by ultrasonication (US) in the presence of TiO(2) and H(2)O(2) has been studied. Maximum degradation rate of 2.66 x 10(-2) was achieved by US/TiO(2)/H(2)O(2) process when compared to US/TiO(2) (1.01 x 10(-2)) and US/H(2)O(2) (5.5 x 10(-3)) systems. The effect of inorganic ions on degradation rate of 2C-5 MP were found to be in the order of Cl(-)>SO(4)(2-)>HPO(4)(2-)>HCO(3)(-). Further, the impact of synthetic additives like CCl(4) as hydrogen radical scavenger and CH(3)OH as hydroxyl radical scavenger on US were studied which confirmed the involvement of hydroxyl radicals in the degradation of 2C-5 MP. Kinetic studies revealed that the degradation process followed pseudo-first-order mechanism with the correlation coefficient (R(2)) of 0.9913 under experimental conditions.

Ultrasound enhanced electrochemical oxidation of phenol and phthalic acid on boron-doped diamond electrode

The enhancement on degradation of two typical organic pollutants, phenol (Ph) and phthalic acid (PA) on boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode is particularly investigated in this study. Results show that ultrasound (US) has remarkable influence on electrochemical (EC) oxidation of the two pollutants including degradation efficiency, EC oxidation energy consumption, mass transport and electrochemical reaction. With US, the enhancement on degradation efficiency and decreasing of EC oxidation energy consumption of Ph are more obvious. US can also efficiently reduce the average electrochemical oxidation energy consumption (AE), decreasing by 74 and 69% for Ph and PA, respectively. Mass transport process can be greatly accelerated by US. The mass transport coefficients of Ph and PA both reach 2.0 x 10(-5)ms(-1) in ultrasound-assisted electrochemical (US-EC) process, from 5.4 x 10(-6) and 6.7 x 10(-6) ms(-1) in EC, increasing by 270 and 199%, respectively. The reaction amount of Ph decreases by 79% with US, from 6.49 x 10(-10) to 1.39 x 10(-10) mol cm(-2). For PA, the reaction amount decreases from 1.25x10(-11) to 3.11 x 10(-12) mol cm(-2) with US. The oxidation peak current increases by 32% for Ph. While for PA, there is no direct oxidation happened in US-EC process.

Degradation of phenol by mechanical activation of a rutile catalyst

In the present paper a novel mechanochemical process for the elimination of organic pollutants dissolved in water is proposed. In this regard, phenol aqueous solutions (100mgL(-1)) were ball-milled for 0, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 72h with and without a well-characterized (XRD, SEM, and N(2) Adsorption), rutile powder catalyst and the reaction products analyzed with UV and GC/MS. It was found that when the catalyst was not included in the process, phenol was not affected, but when it was included, phenol was decomposed. The catalyst itself did not change and the reaction follows a pseudo-first-order kinetics. Besides, intermediates which are characteristic of the ()OH radical mechanism were found in the reaction products. Then, a mechanism similar to those accepted for other advanced oxidation processes was proposed. The value measured for the pseudo-first-order reaction constant was very low, indicating that the reported process is inefficient. Nevertheless, this problem could be solved by applying catalysts consisting of particles with smaller diameters.

Integrated heterogeneous sono-photo Fenton processes for the degradation of phenolic aqueous solutions

The removal of organic compounds from aqueous solutions has been tackled by a novel integrated heterogeneous system. The efficacy of the different systems has been assessed using Fenton-like processes (H2O2/Fe2O3-SBA-15) and phenol as model pollutant. Sono- and photo-Fenton processes separately applied as well as combined systems were studied in order to evaluate of possible beneficial effects on the use of coupled systems. The sequential system evidences an enhancement in terms of phenol and TOC conversions compared to the ultrasound or UV-light irradiation processes. A total phenol degradation and ca. 90% TOC reduction are achieved by sequentially ultrasound followed by UV-visible light irradiation. These effects are ascribed cavitation effect of ultrasound producing a reduction of particle size that provides a higher amount of available active sites due to an increased surface area for the subsequent photo-Fenton system. These encouraging results open new paths for the existing oxidation technologies for potable water and wastewater treatment.

Sonophotocatalysis of endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Sonolysis and photolysis often exhibit synergistic effects in the degradation of organic molecules. An assay of fish oocyte maturation provides an appropriate experimental system to investigate the hormonal activities of chemical agents. Oocyte maturation in fish is triggered by maturation-inducing hormone (MIH), which acts on receptors on the oocyte surface. A synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), possesses inducing activity of fish oocyte maturation, and a widely used biocide, pentachlorophenol (PCP), exhibits a potent inhibitory effect on fish oocyte maturation. In this study, the effects of the combined treatment by sonolysis with photolysis (sonophotocatalysis) to diminish the hormonal activity of DES and the maturation preventing activity of PCP was examined. By sonophotocatalysis, hormonal activity of DES was completely lost within 30 min and the inhibiting activity of PCP was lost within 120 min. These results demonstrated that sonophotocatalysis is effective for diminishing the endocrine-disrupting activity of chemical agents.

Degradation of azo dye Acid Orange 7 in water by Fe0/granular activated carbon system in the presence of ultrasound

Degradation of azo dye Acid Orange 7 (AO7) was investigated using zero-valent iron/granular activated carbon (Fe(0)/GAC) in the absence and presence of ultrasound (US). The AO7 degradation efficiency by Fe(0)/GAC was dramatically enhanced by ultrasound, ultrasound alone had a little effect on the degradation. Effects of Fe(0)/GAC ratios and initial pH values on AO7 degradation were studied in the US-Fe(0)/GAC system. The degradation followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics model. The pseudo-first-order rate constant of AO7 degradation by Fe(0)/GAC was 8.74x10(-3)min(-1) while that by US-Fe(0)/GAC was 3.91x10(-2)min(-1). A significant synergetic effect was observed between US and Fe(0)/GAC. Ultrasound swept the reactive intermediates or products from Fe(0) surface, and thereby the surface of Fe(0) was cleaned and reactivated. Granular activated carbon was added as cathode to increase the unit of internal batteries and enhance the current efficiency of the internal electrolysis. The suitable Fe(0)/GAC ratio (v/v) for the degradation of AO7 in the presence of ultrasound was 1:1. The degradation was highly dependent on pH, and a decrease of the initial pH values from 12.0 to 4.0 led to the increase of degradation efficiencies. Sulfanilamide was proved as the main residual degradation product in the solution by the analysis of high-performance liquid chromatograms.

Ultrasonic destruction of phenol and substituted phenols: a review of current research

Phenol and some of its derivatives such as chlorophenol and nitrophenol have received considerable attention from environmental scientists and engineers, due to their undesirable effects in the water environment, where they end up as a result of improper disposal methods. As a consequence, research has been conducted all around the world with the common goal of reducing their concentrations to allowable limits or converting them to non-toxic, non-hazardous forms that may easily be handled by natural decay processes. Some of this research has focused on ultrasonic techniques, which currently appears to present a convenient but as yet unproven method for large scale water remediation. The goal of this study is to identify and review some of these studies that are directly related with the use of ultrasound in decontaminating effluents with phenol residuals and to summarize the main points of interest and problems encountered.

Effect of additives on ultrasonic degradation of phenol

Sonication for phenol degradation has proved to be an attractive process over the years at least on a laboratory scale but the rates of phenol degradation under sonication have always been quite low. The present work investigates the use of simple additives such as salt and carbon tetrachloride as process intensifying parameters with an aim of reduction in the treatment times and hence the cost of operation. The intermediates formed in the degradation process have been analyzed and it has been observed that these intermediates degrade faster as compared to phenol. A hybrid technique of ozonation coupled with cavitation has also been investigated with an objective of finding the optimum conditions for the combination of ozonation and cavitation for synergistic effects. Analysis of the intermediates for the combination treatment scheme also indicates that the intermediates (hydroquinone, catechol, resorcinol, maleic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, formic acid, etc.) are more biodegradable prompting a possible combination of cavitation with aerobic oxidation for large scale treatment of phenol containing waste.

Enhancement of sonochemical degradation of phenol using hydrogen atom scavengers

Sonochemical degradation of phenol was found to be enhanced in the presence of the volatile hydrogen atom scavengers CCl4 and perfluorohexane. The non-volatile hydrogen atom scavenger iodate did not enhance phenol degradation. The first order rate constant for aqueous phenol degradation in separate experiments using different sonochemical probes increased in the presence of 150 microM CCl4 from 0.014 to 0.031 min(-1) (probe 1) and from 0.022 to 0.061 min(-1) (probe 2). In the presence of <1.5 microM C6H14, the first order rate constant increased from 0.014 to 0.032 min(-1) (probe 1). Hydroquinone was the major observed reaction intermediate both in the presence and absence of hydrogen atom scavengers. Hydroquinone yields were substantially higher in the presence of hydrogen atom scavengers, suggesting that hydroxyl radical pathways for phenol degradation were enhanced by the hydrogen atom scavengers. These additives may be useful in improving pollutant degradation efficiency or improving synthetic processes that rely on hydroxyl radical as a key intermediate.

Monitoring the sonochemical degradation of phthalate esters in water using solid-phase microextraction

The sonochemical degradation of aqueous solutions containing low concentrations of six phthalate esters at an ultrasonic frequency of 80 kHz has been investigated. Ultrasonic treatment was found capable of removing the four higher molecular mass phthalates (di-n-butyl phthalate, butylbenzyl phthalate, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and di-n-octyl phthalate) within 30-60 min of irradiation. The rest (dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate) were more recalcitrant and nearly complete removal could be achieved only after prolonged irradiation times. The relative reactivity of phthalates was explained in terms of their hydrophobicity. Experiments were carried out at an overall initial phthalate concentration of 240 microg l(-1), values of electric power of 75 and 150 W, temperatures of 21 and 50 degrees C and in the presence of NaCl to study the effect of various operating conditions on degradation. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with GC-MS proved to be a powerful analytical tool to monitor the sonochemical degradation of phthalate esters at low microg l(-1) concentration levels, minimising the risk of secondary contamination during sample preparation, a major parameter to consider during phthalates analysis. The advantages as well as disadvantages of using SPME are also highlighted.