Comparative study of the oxidation of atrazine and acetone by H2O2/UV, Fe(III)/UV, Fe(iii)/H2O2/UV and Fe(II) or Fe(III)/H2O2

In this study, the rates of degradation of organic compounds by several AOPs (H2O2/UV, Fe(III)/UV, Fe(III)/H2O2/UV, Fe(II)/H2O2 and Fe(III)/H2O2) have been compared. Experiments were carried out at pH ≈ 3 (perchloric acid / sodium perchlorate solutions) and with UV reactors equipped with a low-pressure mercury vapour lamp (emission at 253.7 run). The data obtained with atrazine ([Atrazine]o = 100 μg/L) showed that the rate of degradation of atrazine in very dilute aqueous solution is much more rapid with Fe(III)/UV than with H2O2/UV. Photo-Fenton process (Fe(III)/H2O2/UV) was found to be more efficient than H2O2/UV and Fe(II)/H2O2 for the mineralization of acetone ([Acetone]o = 1 mM).