DEGRADATION OF p-AMINOPHENOL BY FENTON'S PROCESS. INFLUENCE OF OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS

Oxidative degradation of a model environmental pollutant, p-aminophenol (PAP), in aqueous solution has been investigated in an environmentally friendly advanced oxidation Fenton process. Effects of various operating parameters such as pH of solutions, dosage of hydrogen peroxide and ferrous ions, initial PAP concentration and temperature on the degradation of PAP have been studied using a batch stirred cell. Degradation kinetics for this pollutant was also investigated to determine the apparent rate constants (min(-1)). The optimum conditions for the degradation of PAP solution (200-500 mg/dm(3)) were found to be pH = 3.0, 2400 mg H2O2/dm(3), 300 mg Fe2+/dm(3), 30 degrees C. Under the optimum conditions, the degradation efficiency of PAP was 75% after 50 min of reaction. It was observed that process parameters play a major role in the overall degradation process.