Kinetics of the atrazine degradation process using H2O2-UVC

Abstract

This work is concerned with the intrinsic reaction kinetic of the degradation of atrazine (ATZ) using H2O2-UVC. Experimental runs were carried out in annular photoreactor. The initial concentration of ATZ was 2.2 × 10−2 mol m−3 while the H2O2-ATZ molar ratio range was 0–578 mol H2O2 mol−1 ATZ. The ATZ molecules are decomposed by means of free-radical attack (95.2%) and direct photolysis (4.8%). There is an optimal H2O2/ATZ molar ratio (ROP = 347 H2O2 mol−1 ATZ) which maximizes the initial degradation rate and conversion at 300 s at 83% and 77%, respectively. The process is economically feasible as the values of the energy requirement, energy and H2O2 costs at ROP are 0.14 KWh m−3 order−1, US$0.02 kWh−1 m−3 and US$1.0 m−3, respectively. The kinetic model proposed is based on Lea's reaction scheme for the H2O2 direct photolysis, the hypothesis that unknown ATZ sub-products that absorb UVC radiation are generated, and the local volumetric rate of photon absorption. The radiation transport equation was solved and the linear spherical source emission model was used to represent the lamp emission. Intrinsic reaction kinetic parameters were estimated and the model was validated. The model predicted the data in a range of 90 to 98%.