Ozonation process intensification of p-nitrophenol by in situ separation of hydroxyl radical scavengers and microbubbles

Abstract

Abstract The ozonation efficiency for removal of recalcitrant organic pollutants in alkaline wastewater is always low because of the presence of some hydroxyl radical scavengers. To solve this problem, the O3/Ca(OH)2 system was put forward, and p-nitrophenol (PNP) was chosen to explore the mechanism of this system. The effects of key operational parameters were studied respectively; the Ca(OH)2 dosage 3 g/L, ozone inlet flow rate 3.5 L/min, ozone concentration 65 mg/L, reactor pressure 0.25 MPa, and temperature 25 °C were obtained as the optimal operating conditions. After 60 min treatment, the organic matter mineralized completely, which was higher than the sum of the ozonation-alone process (55.63%) and the Ca(OH)2 process (3.53%). It suggests that the calcium hydroxide in the O3/Ca(OH)2 process possessed a paramount role in the removal of PNP. The liquid samples and the precipitated substances were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; it was demonstrated that Ca(OH)2 could accelerate the generation of hydroxyl radical and simultaneously in situ separate partial intermediate products and CO32− ions through some precipitation reactions.