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Technical development of UV-C- and VUV-photochemically induced oxidative degradation processes
A M Braun1, I G Pintori, H P Popp
1Lehrstuhl für Umweltmesstechnik, Universität Karlsruhe, 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany. andre.braun@ciw.uni-karlsruhe.de
Summary
This study presents VUV photochemistry for water treatment and analysis. It details applications in sample pre-treatment for various analyses and wastewater purification, optimizing processes with novel reactor designs.
Area of Science:
- Photochemistry
- Environmental Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV) photochemistry offers advanced oxidative degradation capabilities.
- Existing methods for water treatment and sample analysis can be enhanced by VUV technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate VUV photochemically induced oxidative degradation for analytical applications and water treatment.
- To optimize reactor design for efficient VUV utilization in pollutant degradation.
Main Methods:
- Development and testing of novel Xe-excimer radiation sources with integrated reaction spaces.
- Implementation of electrochemical oxygen generation to overcome mass transfer limitations.
- Design of photochemical reactors for small to medium scale water treatment (< 10 m²/d).
Main Results:
- VUV photochemistry demonstrated effectiveness for exhaustive and partial oxidation of pollutants.
- Optimized reactors enable efficient sample pre-treatment for TOC, TOX, and trace metal analysis.
- Partial oxidation facilitates pollutant functionalization for GC and HPLC analysis.
Conclusions:
- VUV photochemistry is a versatile tool for both analytical sample preparation and water purification.
- The developed Xe-excimer systems and reactor designs show significant potential for practical applications.
- Electrochemical oxygen enhancement improves the efficiency of VUV-based water treatment processes.