Degradation kinetics of recalcitrant organic compounds in a decontamination process with UV/H2O2 and UV/H2O2/TiO2 processes

In this study, degradation aspects and kinetics of organics in a decontamination process were considered in the degradation experiments of advanced oxidation processes (AOP), i.e., UV, UV/H2O2 and UV/H2O2/TiO2 systems. In the oxalic acid degradation with different H2O2 concentrations, it was found that oxalic acid was degraded with the first order reaction and the highest degradation rate was observed at 0.1 M of hydrogen peroxide. Degradation rate of oxalic acid was much higher than that of citric acid, irrespective of degradation methods, assuming that degradation aspects are related to chemical structures. Of methods, the TiO2 mediated photocatalysis showed the highest rate constant for oxalic acid and citric acid degradation. It was clearly showed that advanced oxidation processes were effective means to degrade recalcitrant organic compounds existing in a decontamination process.