Effect of Fe(III)-ligand properties on effectiveness of modified photo-Fenton processes

This paper examines a modified photo-Fenton (UV/Fe oxalate/H2O2) process. T he degradation of oxalate in this system in the absence of Reactive Red 235 was studied using both experimentation and kinetic modelling. The degradat ion of Reactive Red 235 in this system was also studied. Light intensity an d solution pH had large effects on the degradation of both oxalate and Reac tive Red 235, with the effect of pH not due simply to speciation changes. T he most important properties of the oxalate ligand in the UV/Fe oxalate/H2O 2 process are that it forms Fe(ill)-oxalato complexes that are easily photo lysed and also is relatively unreactive with OH. radicals.