Water Disinfection With AOP: Hydrogen Peroxide Combined With UV Radiation

M.L. LABAS; C.S. ZALAZAR; R.J. BRANDI; A.E. CASSANO

Palermo, Italia

Congreso; 5° European Meeting on Solar chemistry and photocatalysis: environmental applications (SPEA 5); 2008

Microbiologic pollution of water for domestic and/or industrial use constitutes a problem of general concern. Classical technologies, particularly the widely use of different forms of chlorinations, are increasingly questioned due to the formation of  disinfection byproducts (DBP) that have been shown to be detrimental to human health. Due to these problems, without disrespect for economics aspects, the world is looking for different alternatives. One of the ones that have been explored with more emphasis has been the usually called Advanced Oxidation Technologies (AOT). In spite of the fact that it cannot be properly considered an AOP, the use of low wavelength ultraviolet radiation – particularly germicidal lamps emitting mostly at 254 nm – have shown to be very effective in microbial disinfection to the point that the process has a generalized use in many applications that do not imply a large scale operation, as would be, for example, a water treatment plant. Till now it is clear that, all things considered ozone is still leading the substitution process. It has been proposed that an addition of hydrogen peroxide to the process employing UV-C radiation, could improve yields and therefore break down the present economic disadvantages. Due to its well recognized oxidation capabilities, hydrogen peroxide per se have shown to be an efficient disinfectant for the inactivation of vegetative bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores. Hence, with this background, the idea behind the previously mentioned proposal, is that hydrogen peroxide guarantees the production of a powerful oxidant such as the  radical, that is known to have a high level of toxicity for many microorganisms, In the present work a study applying the combined process of low wavelength radiation and hydrogen peroxide has been studied.