Kinetic modeling of UV/H2O2, UV/sodium percarbonate, and UV/potassium peroxymonosulfate processes for albendazole degradation

This study provides an integrated assessment of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium peroxymonosulfate (PMS), and sodium percarbonate (PCA) performance in Albendazole (ABZ) degradation during advanced oxidation processes. The experiments were conducted in a UV photoreactor (16 mW m (-2)). Initially, H2O2 was tested as a model oxidant using ABZ/oxidant (ABZ/Ox) molar ratio 1:2. The removal achieved with and without UV radiation were 85% and 40% ABZ. With PCA and PMS (ABZ/Ox molar ratio 1:2), 100% ABZ removal was observed at 15 min. A kinetic study was conducted because of the faster ABZ removal (ABZ/Ox =1:1, 1:0.5, and 1:0.1). The ABZ/PCA process (using ABZ/Ox 1:1) achieved 40% and 43% ABZ removal after 15 min, with and without UV radiation, respectively. Whit ABZ/PCA 1:0.5, no degradation was observed. In contrast, with ABZ/PMS 1:0.5, 100% degradation was achieved. These results suggest a synergism between the sulfate and carbonate radicals with the hydroxyls. The pseudo-second order kinetic model was fair to predict experimental results showing R-2 >= 0.98 for all the trials. This study provides a technical guideline for using these oxidants in the degradation of compounds with chemical structures like ABZ. [GRAPHICS] .