RADIATION-INDUCED OH RADICAL GENERATION AND ITS USE FOR GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION

Because of nitrite and hydrogenperoxide formation irradiation treatmen t alone is not apt for groundwater remediation with regard to utilizat ion as drinking water. Addition of ozone to the water before irradiati on eliminates the nitrite and hydro-en peroxide as well and causes the reducin- species of water radiolysis to be converted into OH radicals . The resulting advanced oxidation process is the only one which is ba sed on two OH radical sources: water radiolysis and ozone decompositio n. The basic chemistry and a 3 m3 prototype installation is described.