The Photocatalytic Destruction of Volatile Organic Compounds in Water

摘要: Ground water at the Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Alabama has been found to be contaminated with volatile organic compounds. Recent research has indicated that advanced oxidation processes, namely hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by ultraviolet light radiation, can be successful in destroying these contaminants. In this process hydrogen peroxide is decomposed by ultraviolet radiation producing hydroxyl free radicals which in turn oxidize the organic compounds present. A series of batch tests and flow through experiments using this oxidation process was performed on a synthetic wastewater that closely duplicated contaminant concentration levels found at Anniston. These contaminants, 1,2 dichloroethene, trichloroethene, dichloromethane and benzene, were found readily destructed by the UV/H2O2 process both individually and in mixtures during batch testing and in flow-through experiments. All experimentation was performed utilizing a thin film reactor.