Microwave-assisted organic pollutants degradation

Abstract

Radiation technology is regarded to be a promising green alternative for its high efficiency in organic pollutants remediation. To date, microwave energy has been widely used in several domestic, industrial, and medical applications. In line with the need for environmental sustainability through the application of green chemistry and green engineering practices, the potential application of microwave energy irradiation as a major source of energy and/or pretreatment for the degradation of various types of organic pollutants found in wastewaters and other contaminated water bodies has been a growing research interest. This chapter will give an account of (1) the environmental issues related to the contamination of water by organic pollutants such as industrial/textile dyes, pesticides, herbicides, xenobiotics, PAHs, PCBs, and other persistent organic pollutants, and (2) research on the application of ultrasound and mainly microwave power irradiation for the degradation these organic pollutants.