Advanced Oxidation Processes for the Degradation of Organochlorine Pesticides

Abstract

Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are a group of treatment technologies, which aim at efficient decomposition of pollutants. The AOPs are based on oxidation of pollutants using various single or combinational techniques generating free radicals, thereby leading to oxidative degradation and complete mineralization of pollutants. Conventional AOPs based on ultraviolet (UV) irradiation are commonly used for destruction of microorganisms in the household filters. These techniques have also been used to remediate conventional and upcoming pollutants like pesticides, Pharmaceuticals etc., which are normally persistent in nature. The various combinations used for generating reactive radicals in AOPs are fenton, photofenton, ozone, UV radiations, sonolysis etc. In the present study, degradation using various AOPs and different pesticides was performed for the organochlorine group of pesticides. It was found to be effective for degradation of the targeted pesticides which are otherwise, persistent in nature. The response of the studied pesticides was different for all the AOPs used, which include, UV photolysis, H2O2 degradation, UV-H2O2, fenton’s etc. Studies have been performed in the aqueous matrix and degradation rates are determined for the different reactions. The rate of degradation was found to be significantly enhanced in presence of H2O2 and fenton’s reagent with UV irradiation rather than UV alone.