Mechanism of radiation purification of polluted water and wastewater

The paper summarizes the results of the studies on radiation purification o f polluted water and wastewater conducted in the author's laboratory in coo peration with other institutions. The removal of heavy metals (cadmium, lea d, chromium and mercury) from water and wastewater, the purification of was tewater from surfactant and petroleum products, molasses distillery slops, municipal wastewater in the aerosol flow, river water from colored natural organic pollutants, wastewater of dyeing complex and paper mill, the decomp osition of some dyes, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine-containing organic compou nds, formic acid, etc. were investigated in detail. As a rule, electron-bea m treatment in combination with ordinary methods (biological, coagulation, adsorption, flotation, etc.) was used. The main attention is paid to the me chanism of purification of the studied systems. The role of redox reactions of primary products of water radiolysis and secondary short-lived species formed from pollutants, formation of precipitates capturing the pollutants etc. is discussed.