Degradation of organic compounds via sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes

In this study, degradation of Reactive Black 5 and tetracycline organic compounds via sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes was investigated. UV/peroxydisulfate, UV/peroxymonosulfate, heat/peroxydisulfate, and heat/peroxymonosulfate processes were applied as sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes in the degradation of organic compounds. The effects of pH, initial dye concentration and amount of oxidants on the degradation of Reactive Black 5 in UV/oxidants system were investigated. The optimum pH values for degradation of Reactive Black 5 were found to be 5 and 3 in UV/peroxydisulfate UV/peroxymonosulfate systems respectively. As initial dye concentration increased the degradation of Reactive Black 5 decreased, while as the amounts of oxidants raised degradation increased. The effect of pH on the degradation of tetracycline in UV/ oksidants systen was investrgated and the presence of tetracycline as a negative ion which depends on pKa values of tetracycline enhanced the degradation of tetracycline in the UV/oxidants system. The experimental studies conducted with tertiary-butyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol show that sulfate radical was the dominant radical in the UV/oxidants system. It was observed that the degradation of both compounds increased as the temperature increased in the heat/oxidants system. Keywords: Sulfate radical, Peroxymonosulfate, Peroxydisulfate, Activation, Oxidation