Hydroxyl radical's role in the remediation of wastewater

The photocatalytic degradation of wastewater with ZnO based photocatalysts under solar illumination has been investigated. Advanced oxidation processes such as photoelectrocatalysis, sonolysis and H2O2 treatment show promise in eliminating the dangers of exposure to wastewater and the products of their natural breakdown. A basic understanding of the mechanistic details involved in the oxidative transformations remains the key for improving the effectiveness of the advanced oxidation processes. The role of hydroxyl radical in the breakdown of the wastewater is elucidated through determining the degradation rates, analyzing transformation intermediates and studies using computational chemistry methods. In order to realize a complete mineralization of wastewater COD, BOD and TOC analysis has been carried out. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.