The presence of emerging contaminants (ECs) in water and wastewater systems has become a subject of significant concern worldwide. These emerging contaminants are complex organic molecules (e.g. pharmaceuticals)which potentially affect human health and environment. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are unable to completely remove these contaminants from water and therefore can discharge them into environment.The need to develop effective methods for ECs removal, the combination of powerful chemical oxidants known as advanced treatment techniques has to be tested. The current study aims the assessment of the potential of ozone- based advanced oxidation processes (AOP) to oxidize number of persistent ECs, using various combinations of ozone with hydrogen peroxide and sodium persulfate. For this study perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), 1-4, dioxane, N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, and three pharmaceuticals such as sulfamethoxaole, trimethoprim and carbamazepine has been selected. Experiments were conducted in a semi batch bubble column reactor setup (including an ozone generator, degassing unit and destruct unit). The effect of different process parameters such as reagents dosages, ozone weight percent, ozone flow rates, etc. on destruction of ECs was examined. During ozonation number of reactive species is formed. Basically, the types of oxidation reactions occurring during ozonation process can be classified as molecular ozone-driven and hydroxyl radical �driven.The experimental results revealed that some of the selected ECs were persistent to direct ozone reaction, however were easily oxidized by hydroxyl radical. These reactivity differences may be attributed to the structural differences and process conditions. The operational conditions were optimized for maximum removal of every compound and their influence on the degradation process was discussed.

Removal of emerging contaminants from aqueous solution by ozone–based processes

244th National Meeting (2012)

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