Destruction of some more and less hydrophobic PAHs and their toxicities in a petrochemical industry wastewater with sonication in Turkey

The effects of increasing sonication time (60–150 min), NaCl (2–18 g/l), S 2 O 8 2 - (2–10 mg/l) and 1-butanol (200–600 mg/l) concentrations on the destructions of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and acute toxicity in a petrochemical industry wastewater in Izmir (Turkey) were investigated. The yields in more hydrophobic PAHs (DahA and BghiP) were as high as in less hydrophobic PAHs (CHR, PHE, PY, BbF and ANT) at 60 °C after 150 min sonication. The removals in all PAHs increased from 72–78% to 97–99% as the NaCl administration was increased from 1.5 to 12 g/l. The degradation efficiency of seven PAHs was enhanced by 36% with 6 mg/l S 2 O 8 2 - after 150 min. OH is the major process for complete sonodegradation of less hydrophobic PAHs while pyrolysis is the major process for complete degradation of more hydrophobic PAHs.