Ozone degradation of alkylbenzene sulfonate in aqueous solutions using a stirred tank reactor with recirculation

• Published in: Journal of environmental science and health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous substances & environmental engineering Toxic/hazardous substances & environmental engineering, 2012-01, Vol.47 (14), p.2205-2212
• Main Authors: Jurado-Alameda, Encarnación, Vicaria, José M, Altmajer-Vaz, Deisi, Luzón, Germán, Jiménez-Pérez, José L, Moya-Ramírez, Ignacio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alkanesulfonic Acids - analysis; Alkanesulfonic Acids - chemistry; alkylbenzene sulfonate; anionic surfactant; Applied sciences; Aqueous solutions; Chemicals; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; cleaning in place; Exact sciences and technology; mass transfer; oxidative processes; ozonation; Ozone; Ozone - chemistry; Pollution; sulfonates; Temperature; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry
• ISSN: 1532-4117; 1093-4529; 1532-4117
• DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2012.707537

The degradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) in aqueous solutions by ozone has been investigated. The ozonation process was performed in a stirred tank reactor with recirculation which simulates the clean-in-place process used in many industrial facilities. The gas-liquid mass transfer of ozone in a buffer solution at different temperatures (25–55°C) was also studied in the same device, revealing that ozone decomposition can be considered negligible under the experimental conditions assayed. The effect of the initial LAS concentration, temperature, and ozone concentration on the concentration of homologues and total LAS were analysed as a function of time. Both concentrations diminished with time, this effect being more significant when higher temperatures were assayed. The relative proportion of homologues shows that the homologues of higher chain length are degraded in a greater proportion than are the homologues with shorter chain lengths.