Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) solution was subjected to low frequency ultrasonication (US) at 20o C and pH 5 in US/nanoFe0/H2O2 and US/microFe0/H2O2 systems. Removal rates of SMX were compared under different reagents loads. Results showed that (i) SMX degradation depends on water matrix and (ii) is positively affected by the presence of carbonate species favoring iron corrosion that enhances H2O2 activation. Experiments showed also that nanoFe0 were not efficient in activating H2O2 in silent systems while microFe0 showed better efficiency. This was ascribed to the increase in the nucleation sites at the proximity of microFe0 surface favoring the process of cavitations inception increasing thereby the probability of formation of hydroxyl radicals. The developed system showed clearly that advanced oxidation processes work better in a Fenton-like process by heterogeneous catalysis in US/microFe0/H2O2 system instead of nanometric iron slurry solution, e.g., US/nanoFe0/H2O2 system.

Degradation of sulfamethoxazole in sonicated and silent Fe0/H2O2 systems: Micrometric vs. nanometric Fe0 activator

245th National Meeting (2013)

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