Carbamazepine degradation using ternary hybrid advanced oxidation process of hydrodynamic cavitation plus photocatalysis (UV/ZnO/ZnFe2O4) + persulfate: Kinetic investigations

This study focused on the investigation of in-situ degradation of the pharmaceutical pollutant carbamazepine (CBZ) using a ternary hybrid advanced oxidation process (AOP) that combines hydrodynamic cavitation (HC), persulfate anions (S2O2 8 ), and photocatalysis (UV-C irradiation with ZnO/ZnFe2O4 particles). The activation of S2O2  8 anion to generate SO center dot 4 could be simultaneously achieved using HC, UV-C irradiation, and ZnO/ZnFe2O4 particles. The ternary hybrid AOP resulted in a significant CBZ degradation of 98.13 +/- 1.03 %. The degradation profiles of CBZ were analyzed through a mathematical kinetic model derived from a network of chemical reactions. Experimental and simulated data were compared by adjusting the initial [Fe2+]/[H2O2] ratio as a controlled parameter. The optimal agreement between CBZ degradation data obtained from experimental and simulated was achieved for [Fe2+]/[H2O2] ratio = 10, elucidated significant leaching of Fe2+/Fe3+ ions from ZnO/ZnFe2O4 surface. The complimentary interactions among the individual AOPs, when applied simultaneously, were quantified using synergy index. The synergy index for the ternary system of HC + UV + ZnO/ ZnFe2O4 + Na2S2O8 was 4.46. The economic feasibility of the different HC-based hybrid AOPs was assessed through a comparison based on cavitational yield. The findings of this study have elucidated the potential of HC-based ternary hybrid advanced oxidation process for the effective oxidation of CBZ.