A kinetic model for advanced oxidation processes of aromatic hydrocarbons in water: Application to phenanthrene and nitrobenzene

A kinetic model for the advanced oxidation (ozonation alone, UV radiation a lone, ozone plus hydrogen peroxide, ozone plus UV radiation, and UV radiati on plus hydrogen peroxide) of aromatic hydrocarbons in water is proposed an d tested with experimental results of the oxidation of nitrobenzene and phe nanthrene, two aromatic hydrocarbons of different reactivity with ozone. Th e kinetic model leads to good results in the case that the compound treated reacts exclusively with ozone, that is, without the contribution of hydrox yl radical oxidation as in the case of phenanthrene oxidation. In this case , it is not necessary to account for intermediate reactions to have good pr edictions of experimental remaining concentrations of ozonation processes. On the contrary, when the aromatic hydrocarbon is mainly removed by hydroxy l radicals (case of nitrobenzene), mole balance equations of intermediates have to be included for the experimental concentrations to be reproduced. F or so doing, the kinetic parameters, such as rate constants of reactions be tween ozone and hydroxyl radical with intermediates and their corresponding quantum yields at 254 nm, were also determined. The kinetic model, however , is unable to reproduce, with accuracy, the experimental results of the oz one-UV radiation oxidation system.