Degradation Kinetics of Humic acid in Aqueous Solution by Ozonation Treatment under Different Parameter Conditions

Abstract

This study evaluated the kinetics of humic acid (HA) degradation in aqueous solution by ozonation process under different parameter conditions. The effect of initial HA concentration (5 to 100 mg/L), solution pH (2 – 12) and initial ozone doses (1.6– 4.9 mg/L) of HA degradation were evaluated through batch ozonation processes at ambient temperature for 2 hours. The HA degradation followed pseudo-first order kinetics where the rate constant changed based on these parameters effect. Results showed that, the HA degradation by ozonation process was more effective (98% degradation) at 20 mg/L initial HA concentration, initial pH 7 and 4.9 mg/L of ozone dose. These finding suggest that the ozonation process can be effectively used in wastewater treatment for improving the biodegradability of recalcitrant organic compounds.