The influence of some operational parameters such as stirring the solution during solar irradiation and the solution flow rate into artificial irradiation photoreactor were evaluated on the photodegradation of 2-chlorophenol (2CP) and 2,4-diclorophenol (DCP) by photo-Fenton process mediated by ferrioxalate. After evaluation of these parameters, the systems were applied to photodegradation of phenol and mono (2-chlorophenol and 4-clorophenol), di (2,4-dichlorophenol) and tri (2,4,6-trichlorophenol) chlorophenols to evaluate the photodegradation efficiency of these compounds under solar as well as artificial irradiation. Small differences in the percentages of total organic carbon (TOC) removal and generation of chloride ions were observed with and without stirring the solution during solar irradiation of 2CP. Under artificial irradiation, the increase of flow rate resulted in lower TOC removal, while a higher rate of TOC removal was obtained due to a shorter irradiation time. An intermediate flow rate of 33.4 mL min-1 was then used. Under solar irradiation, 15 minutes irradiation were necessary for complete removal of all chlorophenols, however, the complete removal of phenol was achieved in 20 minutes. Under artificial irradiation, the chlorophenols were removed between 4.5 and 6.5 minutes of irradiation. The degradation rates increased slightly with the increase of the number of chlorides bonded to the aromatic ring under solar as well as artificial irradiation.
Advanced oxidation processes; photo-Fenton; photodegradation; ferrioxalate; chlorophenols; solar
