Abstract
Abstract In this study, the fate of naphthalene was investigated with a supercritical water oxidation process (SCWO). Also, the effectiveness of different operating conditions including pressure, temperature, residence time and oxidant dose on the formation of by-products was determined. The experimental sets were determined by the experimental design program and the effect of the selected variables on the removal of the naphthalene was associated statistically. According to obtained results, naphthalene by SCWO process was mineralized up to 98.5%. Removal efficiencies in sub- and supercritical conditions were between 94 and 100%. Derivatives of aldehyde, propanoic acid, benzene acetic acid and benzofuran were detected as by-products at many experimental conditions and also, some intermediates with a molecular weight higher than naphthalene were determined.
Highlights
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) widely found in nature can be of natural and synthetic origin
The individual effect of oxidant dose, the dual effect of temperature and oxidant dose and second-order effect of time were found significant on the removal of naphthalene
The relationships between naphthalene removal and the four important variables including temperature, pressure, time and oxidant dose were analysed for the supercritical water oxidation process (SCWO) process using response surface methodology (RSM)
Summary
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) widely found in nature can be of natural and synthetic origin. Increased industrial activity has resulted in the release of a wide variety of PAHs to the environment. Naphthalene and anthracene have been reported as the most common detected PAH compounds in wastewaters (Argun et al 2020; Nas et al 2020). Naphthalene, used as an intermediate in the manufacture of azo dyes, phthalic anhydride, surfactants, and pesticides, has caused an increase in naphthalene concentration in nature (Mangal 2020). Naphthalene was detected in high levels (0.01–15 μg/L) in many aquatic environments (Staples et al 1985; Kalmykova et al 2014; Oturan et al 2015; Ates & Argun 2018; Argun et al 2020). It was reported that these exposures could cause many acute and chronic health problems (ATSDR 1995)
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