Aqueous photodegradation and toxicity of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons fluorene, dibenzofuran, and dibenzothiophene

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) 2007-02, Vol.41 (4), p.853-861
• Main Authors: Shemer, Hilla, Linden, Karl G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aliivibrio fischeri - metabolism; Applied sciences; Benzofurans - radiation effects; Benzofurans - toxicity; byproducts; Carcinogens - radiation effects; Carcinogens - toxicity; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; dibenzofuran; dibenzothiophene; Exact sciences and technology; fluorene; Fluorenes - radiation effects; Fluorenes - toxicity; free radicals; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydrogen Peroxide - chemistry; Hydroxyl radicals; Kinetics; Luminescent Measurements; Other industrial wastes. Sewage sludge; oxidation; PAHs; Photolysis; Pollution; pollution control; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - radiation effects; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - toxicity; Thiophenes - radiation effects; Thiophenes - toxicity; toxicity; ultraviolet radiation; Ultraviolet Rays; UV irradiation; Wastes; Water Pollutants, Chemical - radiation effects; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; water pollution; water treatment; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2006.11.022

Decay kinetics resulting from the application of UV and UV/H 2O 2 to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) fluorene, dibenzofuran and dibenzothiophene was studied. Batch experiments were conducted with both low-pressure monochromatic (253.7 nm) and medium pressure polychromatic (200–300 nm) UV sources alone or in the presence of up to 25 mg/L hydrogen peroxide, in a quasi-collimated beam apparatus. Degradation of all three PAHs, by both UV and UV/H 2O 2, exhibited pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics and low quantum yields ranging from 1.4×10 −3 to 1.8×10 −2 mol/E using both UV lamps. Toxicity testing using a bioluminesence inhibition bioassay was correlated to the decay in concentration of the PAHs as analyzed analytically using HPLC. Results demonstrated that treatment efficacy of oxidative PAH degradation measured by following the decay of the target compound is best complemented by also evaluating the toxicity of the treated water due to byproduct formation concerns.