Effect of Application of Ozone and Ozone Combined with Hydrogen Peroxide and Titanium Dioxide in the Removal of Pesticides From Water

Abstract

The aim of this research work is to study the influence of hydrogen peroxide and titanium dioxide in the ozone-based treatment to degrade 44 organic pesticides present in natural water, which are systematically detected in the Ebro River Basin (Spain). The studied pesticides are: alachlor, aldrin, ametryn, atrazine, chlorfenvinfos, chlorpyrifos, pp'-DDD, op'-DDE, op'-DDT. pp'-DDT, desethylatrazine, 3,4-dichloroaniline, 4,4'-dichlorobenzophenone, dicofol, dieldrin, dimethoate, diuron, α-endosulphan, endosulphan-sulphate, endrin, α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide A, heptachlor epoxide B, hexachlorobenzene, isodrin, 4-isopropylaniline, isoproturon, metholachlor, methoxychlor, molinate, parathion methyl, parathion ethyl, prometon, prometryn, propazine, simazine, terbuthylazine, terbutryn, tetradifon and trifluralin. The ozonation using 3 mg O3 L−1 produces a pesticides removal close to 23%, whereas the application of O3/H2O2 and O3/TiO2 treatments achieves average degradation yields lower than the ozonation. However, the application of O3/H2O2 /TiO2 process improves considerably the pesticides degradation and an average degradation yield of 36% is obtained.