Photo-Fenton-like degradation of bisphenol A by persulfate and solar irradiation

This work evaluates the feasibility of a solar-enhanced Fenton-like process using S₂O₈^2- (PS) and Fe²⁺ for the elimination of BPA, a model endocrine-disruption compound. This comparative study of BPA removal showed that among the approaches employed, the effectiveness of BPA degradation (10 mg/L) decreased in the order: Solar/PS/Fe²⁺> Solar/PS > PS/Fe²⁺> Solar/Fe²⁺> Solar. The complete degradation of BPA was achieved by Solar/PS/Fe²⁺ treatment at a [PS]:[BPA] ratio of 20 in less than t_30W 5 in deionised water. The high efficiency of the Solar/PS/Fe²⁺ process revealed a synergistic effect (ϕ = 2.38) between the applied activation agents on the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent decomposition of BPA. The treatment was accompanied by total organic carbon (TOC) removal (44%) in 45 min. Sequential generation of reactive oxygen species has made Solar/PS/Fe²⁺ a kinetically effective process for removing BPA without accumulation of toxic intermediates. The reaction rate followed pseudo-first-order kinetics that increased with increasing PS and Fe²⁺ concentrations. Experimental evidence suggests that exposure to solar irradiation maintains suitable quantities of free Fe²⁺ in the reaction mixture, even at low catalyst concentrations (the molar ratio of [PS]:[Fe²⁺] varied from 1:0.01 to 1:0.08). The effects of HCO₃^-, SO₄^2-, and Cl^- were also examined. As expected, HCO₃^- and SO₄^2- inhibited BPA oxidation. The effect of Cl^- on the oxidation efficiency of BPA in Fenton-like systems depends not only on actual Cl^- concentrations but it is also highly influenced by molar ratios of Cl^- to oxidant and catalyst. Inhibition, which was caused by Cl^- in the mM range can be overcome by prolonging the reaction time or increasing the initial Fe²⁺concentration. Finally, the efficiency of Solar/PS/Fe²⁺ process was examined in diluted natural surface water and wastewater effluent. On eliminating the buffering action of HCO₃^-/CO₃^2- ions by lowering the pH value to 4.5, complete BPA degradation was achieved in all real water matrices.

Phototransformation of nitrobenzene in the Songhua River: kinetics and photoproduct analysis

Nitrobenzene (NB) pollution of the Songhua River caused by an explosion at a petrochemical plant in Jilin City, Jilin Province, China, attracted public concern over the fate of NB in the river. As one of the efforts to predict the fate of residual NB in the river, the kinetics and mechanism of phototransformation of NB in natural water from four sections of the Songhua River were investigated. It was found that photodegradation of NB in water proceeded via pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics under simulated solar irradiation conditions, and the rate constant (k) in the ultrapure water system was 0.0168 h(-1), which was approximately half of those in the natural river water systems (0.323-0.402 h(-1)). The relatively short half-life of NB in natural river water systems (17.2-21.5 h) indicates that photodegradation might have played an important role in the loss of NB flux in the river. Nitrate concentration and alkalinity were the two main factors affecting the photochemical fate of NB, suggesting that decomposition of NB mediated by .OH was predominant in water solution with high nitrate concentrations. Three isomeric nitrophenols, o-, m-, and p-nitrophenols, as well as phenol were detected as the main organic products in natural water under natural and simulated solar irradiations.