Enhancement of 4-nitrophenol ozonation in water by nano ZnO catalyst

The removal of 4-nitrophenol [4NP] from aqueous solution by ozone combined with nano-ZnO was investigated in a laboratory-scale reactor in which pH of solution, ZnO dosage and initial 4-nitrophenol concentration were considered as variables. The degradation of 4-nitrophenol was determined using UV-Vis and HPLC methods. Interestingly, the degradation of 4-nitrophenol was high under acidic condition where the degradation was about 93% at initial phenol solution pH=3. It was due to aggregation of nano-ZnO particles above pH=6.5. This result was different from the case of ozonation alone, in which higher pH had positive effect on the degradation of 4-nitrophenol due to the formation of hydroxyl radical. As expected, degradation efficiency increased by increasing the nano ZnO dosage and initial 4-nitrophenol concentration. It was found that the nanosized ZnO enhanced the degradation of ozone and the catalytic ozonation enhanced the degradation of 4-nitrophenol on the surface of the nanosized ZnO. In addition, the degree of degradation was also determined indirectly through Total Organic Carbon [TOC] of the samples. Carbon mineralization of 4-nitrophenol was obtained as 13.68% and 60.34% during ozonation and nano-ZnO catalytic ozonation, respectively, after 30 min reaction, proving that combined ozonator and nano-ZnO for reduction of TOC is more efficient. Also a high degree of nitrogen mineralization during catalytic ozonation was achieved at pH= 3 [7.61mg/L]

Degradation of trace aqueous 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol occurring in pharmaceutical industrial wastewater by ozone

Degradation of 4-chloro-2-nitro phenol by ozonation in aqueous solution was studied in a semi batch reactor under constant ozone dosage and variable pH conditions. The effectiveness of the process was estimated based on the degree of conversion of 4-chloro-2-nitro phenol. It was observed that ozonation is more effective at alkaline reaction of medium than other conditions. The degree of conversion achieved [at the first 5 minutes of the process] at pH 9 was 99.64% compared to 99.03% and 77.35% at pH 7 and 3, respectively. Another parameter used to quantify the 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol during ozonation was the pseudo first order rate constant k [min[-1]]. Results showed that the rate constant of the process was approximately much higher at the alkaline pH compared to acidic ones. A considerable improvement in chemical oxygen demand removal was observed at pH above 7. At pH 9, the reduction in chemical oxygen demand at the end of the process reached 56.9%. The degree of organically bounded nitrogen conversion to nitrate was higher at pH 3. Of the total organic carbon reduction, 15.89% was observed at pH 9. The 4-chloro-2-nitro phenol degradation intermediate products were analyzed by mass- spectrometry. The main intermediate product was chlorophenol