Abstract
Dichlorophene (DCP), a widely detected contaminant in the aquatic environment, was removed under the UV-254 nm irradiations based on advanced oxidation processes. The removal efficiency of DCP from water was enhanced by coupling UV with oxidant (H2O2) and/or catalyst (Fe2+), that is, UV/H2O2 and UV/H2O2/Fe2+ owing to the center dot OH radical generation in the system, which is chiefly responsible for degradation of DCP. Removal of DCP was maximum, that is, 96% degradation after 50 min UV irradiation by UV/H2O2/Fe2+ at pH 3, with apparent rate constant (k(app)) of 0.058 min(-1). The degradation rate of DCP increased with the increasing initial concentrations of DCP, represented by 0.011, 0.018 and 0.023 ppm min(-1) at using 3, 4 and 5 ppm initial concentrations of DCP, respectively. The presence of NO3- and HCO3- deteriorated the degradation proficiency of DCP from 96% to 86% and 74%, respectively, attributed to scavenging of center dot OH radical.