Degradation of phenol assisted by spinel cooper ferrites and residual magnetic materials

Organic compounds present in industrial wastewater are mostly resistant to conventional treatments. New treatments are being developed in the laboratory applied in simulated low complexity scale effluents. This paper is in focus on the evaluation of the degradation of aqueous solutions of phenol (a recalcitrant pattern substance). UV light irradiated in the presence of H2O2 and three materials used as degradation enhancers. The magnetic fraction of the ashes of Puyehue volcano, commercial steel wool and spinel copper ferrite nanoparticles (Cu2FeO4) were used. These solid materials were characterized conveniently. Experiments were performed at room temperature with aqueous solutions of phenol (0.9411 g L-1) at pH solution (ca. 6.5), H2O2 concentration between 0.0-0.2 mol L-1, added mass of enhancer materials between 0.0-1.5 g L-1, UV (254 nm). The reaction was monitored by HPLC and UV spectrophotometry. A synergistic effect of the enhancer materials and the UV light on the degradation of pollutants in the presence of H2O2 was observed. Under suitable conditions, a solution of phenol under UV radiation for 160 minutes degrades up to 95%.