UV/HO process stability and pilot-scale validation for trace organic chemical removal from wastewater treatment plant effluents.

This study investigated the removal of 15 trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) occurring at ambient concentrations from municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent by advanced oxidation using UV/H2O2 at pilot-scale. Pseudo first-order rate constants (kobs) for photolytic as well as combined oxidative and photolytic degradation observed at pilot-scale were validated with results from a bench-scale collimated beam device. No significant difference was determined between pilot- and lab-scale performance. During continuous pilot-scale operation at constant UV fluence of 800 mJ/cm2 and H2O2 dosage of 10 mg/L, the removal of various TOrCs was investigated. The average observed removal for photo-susceptible (kUV>10−3 cm2/mJ; like diclofenac, iopromide and sulfamethoxazole), moderately photo-susceptible (10−4More