Oxidation of 2-chlorophenol in water by ultrasound/Fenton method

Abstract

One of the toxic and refractory pollutants formed during the color removal of fertilizer, chemical, and petroleum industrial effluents by chlorine is 2-chlorophenol (2-cp). The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of H2O2 and Fe2+ dosages on the decomposition of 2-cp using a coupled ultrasound/Fe2+/H2O2 process. The extent of 2-cp decomposition and mineralization depends on the dosages of H2O2 and Fe2+. More than 99% of 2-cp was decomposed and 86% of 2-cp was mineralized using the ultrasound/Fe2+/H2O2 process at Fe2+ of 10 mg/L and H2O2 of 500 mg/L. Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) monitoring is a useful method for determining the decomposition efficiency of the target compound. There was a slight increase in the ORP values with increasing Fe2+ dosages, and an apparent increase with increasing H2O2 dosages was observed. The major intermediate formed during the decomposition of 2-cp was 2-chloro-p-benzoquinone. It was also readily decomposed using the coupled ultrasound/Fe2+/H2O2 process.