Treatment of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide from water by sonocatalysis and sonophotocatalysis

In this study, it is investigated to remove the 2,4-Dichloropehenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide from aqeous solution by using hybrid sonocatalysis and sonophotocatalysis process. In processes the batch degradation and mineralization performance of commercial Amin EXT 500 SL® 2,4-D salt herbicide were analyzed under the laboratory condition. Taguchi Experimental Design was used for optimization of processes. While it is obtained optimally for the sonocatalysis process pH as 2, TiO2 concentration 0.5 g/L, initial 2,4-D concentration as 75 mg/L and 60 minute process time, for the sonophotocatalysis process pH as 3, TiO2 concentration 1 g/L, initial 2,4-D concentration as 50 mg/L, H2O2 concentration 250 mg/L and 60 minute process time were obtained. The experiments were carried out under UV-A radiation (365 nm/36 Wm-2) and at a temperature of 35 ±1 °C. As a result of the 6 hour mineralization experiment performed after obtaining optimum conditions, 65.58%±0.42 degradation, 7.74%±1.3 mineralization, 15.86%±0.39 oxidation and 57.05% AOX removal efficiency were obtained for sonocatalysis, 82,25%± 2.91 degradation, 44,50 %± 0.11 mineralization, 55,13% ± 0.35 oxidation and %72,03 AOX removal efficiency were obtained for sonophotocatalysis. With this study, the degradation and mineralization of the 2,4-D herbicide was successfully carried out by using the combined sonocatalysis and sonophotocatalysis processes.