KINETICS OF THE PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF SELECTED ORGANIC MICROPOLLUTANTS IN THE WATER ENVIROMENT

Abstract

The paper presents an assessment of the removal degree of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene), xenoestrogens (octylphenol, pentachlorophenol) and pharmaceutical compounds (diclofenac) in the process of heterogeneous photocatalysis of their water solutions, which were prepared on the base of deionized water. Titanium dioxide at a dose of 100 mg/dm3 was used as a photocatalyst of the process. The kinetics of the process was determined based on the Langmuir-Hinsherlwood equation, assuming the pseudo-first-order reaction of micropollutants decomposition. Furthermore a toxicological analysis of water samples of test compounds was performed by the use of the Microtox® test. It has been found that the micropollutant concentrations decreased with the increase of process time and their removal degree after 60 minutes exceeds 90%. The analysis of the proces kinetic showed that the oxidation of the compounds occurred with the greatest intensity in the first stage of the process up to 10 min. The preformed toxicological assessment confirmed the incomplete decomposition of pollutants and the generation of by-products, which contribute to the increase of the toxicity of treated water solutions.

Keywords

• photocatalysis
• organic micropollutants
• process kinetics