Photo Assisted Fenton in a Batch and a Membrane Reactor for Degradation of Drugs in Water

Abstract

Some advanced oxidation processes (AOP's) such as Fenton H₂O₂/Fe²⁺, photo assisted Fenton UV/H₂O₂/Fe²⁺, UV photolysis, and photo assisted Fenton—like UV/O₂/Fe²⁺ have been tested for the degradation of Gemfibrozil in aqueous solution in a batch system and then in a membrane reactor. A nanofiltration/reverse osmosis type cross‐linked polyamide, UTC‐60 (Toray) membrane (19 cm²) was used. In the batch degradation tests, the gemfibrozil, used at 5 mg/L, was degraded by employing the four AOP's but numerous peaks of intermediates were observed at the HPLC. Indeed DOC analyses showed poor mineralization in the case of photolysis (3.1%) and UV/O₂/Fe (10%), while it was 62% using the photo assisted Fenton and 24% using the Fenton. Thus in the membrane reactor only the Fenton and the photo assisted Fenton were tested. Obtained results showed a drug degradation higher than 92%, a mineralization higher than 55%, and a membrane retention of the catalyst in solution higher than 95%.