Evaluation of efficacy of anionic surfactant degradation in the presence of concomitant impurities of natural waters

Abstract

The efficacy of anionic surfactant - sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate (ABS) degradation in the river waters and model solutions containing humic acid by various oxidation processes has been compared. The most effective method is photocatalytic ozonation (O3/TiO2/UV) which ensures maximum reduction of ABS concentration (94%-95% over 20-30 min) from 5 mg/dm3 to values not exceeding the MPC (<0.5 mg/dm3) and the highest degree of total organic carbon (TOC) removal (up to 74%) at the lowest values of specific ozone consumption per 1 mg/dm3 of TOC compared to ozonation and O3/UV. Photocatalytic oxidation with air oxygen (O2/TiO2/UV) and O3/UV treatment provides a smaller decrease in ABS concentrations (86%-93% and 71%-87% within 20-30 min, resp.) and significantly lowers TOC removal (up to 57% and 47%, resp.). Ozonation and UV irradiation, used separately, are inefficient methods for ABS degradation (<40%), and for TOC removal (<15%). © 2013 Yuliya Shvadchina et al.