Mineralization of Bisphenol A from water by an ozonation process enhanced by Electric Arc Furnace Slag

N. S. INCHAURRONDO; F. BOCERO; L. A. FASCE

Congreso; 11th World Congress of Chemical Engineering, WCCE 11; 2023

Bisphenol A (BPA) is classified as an endocrine disrupting chemical widely found in different natural water reservesbecause of human activity. Ozonation is an oxidation process capable to remove BPA from wastewater, but toxic byproducts are often generated, and complete mineralization cannot be achieved economically [1]. The present study was encouraged by the appealing potential of electric arc furnace slag (EAFS), a by-product of the steel industry, to enhance BPA mineralization, due to its composition rich in Fe oxides, with traces of Cu and Mn, elements which have shown catalytic activity in ozonation processes [1]. Heterogeneous catalytic ozonation of BPA aqueous solution (20 ppm) was performed during 3 h in a semi-batch stirred-tank reactor (1L) at room temperature, inlet ozone concentration and flow rate of 10 mg/L and 0.7 L/min, EAFS content of 0.5 g/L, initial pH of 3 and 9-10. The evolution of pH, BPA, leached species and TOC conversion (XTOC) was determined. Catalytic heterogeneous ozonation results were compared with single ozonation. EAFS stability at pH 9 was also studied.