Epoxiconazole degradation in water samples: a comparative study of Fenton, photo-Fenton, solar photo-Fenton, and solar photolysis processes.

Epoxiconazole (EPO) is classified as a persistent organic pollutant due to its ability to persist in the environment for prolonged periods. Its degradation is pivotal in mitigating its environmental impact. This investigation focuses on assessing the degradation of EPO using various methodologies, namely Fenton, photo-Fenton, solar photo-Fenton, and solar photolysis, conducted in both Milli-Q water and groundwater. These experiments encompassed evaluations at both the standard pH typically used in photo-Fenton reactions and the natural pH levels inherent to the respective aqueous environments. Additionally, EPO degradation products were analyzed after a 60-min reaction. Notably, in systems utilizing groundwater, the inclusion of additional iron was unnecessary, as the naturally occurring iron content in the groundwater facilitated the intended processes. Specifically, in Milli-Q water, solar photo-Fenton demonstrated an EPO degradation efficiency of 97%. Furthermore, the substitution of Milli-Q water with groundwater in Fenton-like processes did not significantly affect the efficacy of EPO degradation. These findings underscore the potential of solar photo-Fenton as an economically viable and environmentally sustainable strategy for EPO degradation.

Abatement of 2,4-D by H2O2 solar photolysis and solar photo-Fenton-like process with minute Fe(III) concentrations.

The Photo-Fenton-like (PF-like) process with minute Fe(III) concentrations and the Hydrogen Peroxide Photolysis (HPP), using Xe-lamp or solar light as sources of irradiation, were efficiently applied to eliminate the herbicide 2,4-D from water. PF-like experiments concerning ferric and H2O2 concentrations of 0.6 mg L-1 and 20 mg L-1 respectively, using Xenon lamps (Xe-lamps) as a source of irradiation and 2,4-D concentrations of 10 mg L-1 at pH 3.6, exhibited complete 2,4-D degradation and 77% dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal after 30 min and 6 h of irradiation respectively whereas HPP (in absence of ferric ions) experiments showed a 2,4-D reduction and DOC removal of 90% and 7% respectively after 6 h of irradiation. At pH 7.0, HPP process achieved a 2,4-D abatement of approximately 75% and a DOC removal of 4% after 6 h. PF-like exhibited slightly improved 2,4-D and DOC removals (80% and 12% respectively) after the same irradiation time probably due to the low pH reduction (from 7.0 to 5.6). Several chlorinated-aromatic intermediates were identified by HPLC-MS. These by-products were efficiently removed by PF at pH 3.6, whereas at neutral PF-like and acid or neutral HPP, they were not efficiently degraded. With natural solar light irradiation, 10 and 1 mg L-1 of 2,4-D were abated using minor H2O2 concentrations (3, 6, 10 and 20 mg L-1) and iron at 0.6 mg L-1 in Milli-Q water. Similar results to Xe-lamp experiments were obtained, where solar UV-B + A light H2O2 photolysis (HPSP) and solar photo-Fenton-like (SPF-like) played an important role and even at low H2O2 and ferric concentrations of 3 and 0.6 mg L-1 respectively, 2,4-D was efficiently removed at pH 3.6. Simulated surface water at pH 3.6 containing 1 mg L-1 2,4-D, 20 mg L-1 H2O2 and 0.6 mg L-1 Fe(III) under natural sunlight irradiation efficiently removed the herbicide and its main metabolite 2,4-DCP after 30 min of treatment while at neutral pH, 40% of herbicide degradation was achieved. In the case of very low iron concentrations (0.05 mg L-1) at acid pH, 150 min of solar treatment was required to remove 2,4-D.