Photo-Fenton reaction at mildly acidic conditions: assessing the effect of bio-organic substances of different origin and characteristics through experimental design

Abstract

Urban-waste bio-organic substances (UW-BOS) have been shown to be capable of extending the photo-Fenton reaction to mildly acidic conditions. In this study, the effects of pH (3–7), UW-BOS, H2O2 and iron concentrations on the photo-Fenton process were systematically assessed using a Doehlert experimental design and response surface methodology for two UW-BOS (CVT230 and FORSUD). Solutions of the model antibiotic sulfadiazine (SDZ) were irradiated in a solar simulator equipped with a 550 W Xenon lamp. The results showed that for UW-BOS contents below 30 mg L−1, SDZ removal proceeds at pH 5 with similar rates for both CVT230 and FORSUD, regardless of Fe(III) concentration. For 50 mg L−1 of UW-BOS or higher, CVT230 performs better than FORSUD, even for low Fe(III) content (1–3 mg L−1). In contrast, half-life times of 35–40 min can only be achieved under mildly acidic conditions with FORSUD for iron concentrations higher than 10 mg L−1. The better performance of CVT230 can be associated with its high hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio, low E2:E3, higher iron content and possibly higher yields of triplet reactive species generation upon solar irradiation. The most appropriate conditions for each UW-BOS studied are discussed for the first time, which are advantageous for possible engineered applications.