Degradation of Acetic Acid by UV/H2O2 Reaction

The photodegradation of acetic acid was carried out in the presence of UV/H₂O₂. The degradation rate was strongly influenced by pH, the intensity of light and initial concentration of acetic acid and H₂O₂. The effect of anions HCO₃ ^-, Cl^-, NO₃ ^-, SO₄ ^2- and cations Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺, Mn²⁺ in aqueous solution was also studied . An initial acetic acid concentration of 8 mmol/L was almost completely degraded after 4 hours under the optimum conditions. The oxidation rate of acetic acid was decreased after the ions added. The reaction was found to follow the first order kinetics law. The degree of acetic acid conversion to CO₂ was more than 95% under UV/H₂O₂ reaction for 4 hours. The results showed the UV/H₂O₂ reaction was an useful technology for the pretreatment of acetic acid in the furfural wastewater.