Paraben degradation using catalytic ozonation over volcanic rocks

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Water Treatment Technologies

Background:

• Parabens are common preservatives in personal care products, frequently detected in wastewater.
• Conventional wastewater treatments struggle to remove these persistent organic pollutants.
• Catalytic ozonation offers a promising alternative for efficient contaminant removal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of volcanic rocks as catalysts for paraben degradation via ozonation.
• To compare the performance of catalytic ozonation with single ozonation.
• To explore the influence of pH and UVA irradiation on paraben removal.

Main Methods:

• Testing two types of volcanic rocks as catalysts in ozonation processes.
• Quantifying paraben degradation using transferred ozone dose (TOD).
• Analyzing by-products to confirm degradation pathways and identify hydroxyl radical involvement.

Main Results:

• Catalytic ozonation with volcanic rock achieved total paraben degradation at 55 mg/L TOD, a threefold reduction compared to single ozonation (170 mg/L TOD).
• Neutral and basic conditions favored catalytic ozonation, with lower ozone doses required at higher pH.
• Hydroxyl radicals were confirmed as the primary agents of paraben degradation.

Conclusions:

• Volcanic rocks are cost-effective and efficient catalysts for paraben removal in wastewater.
• Catalytic ozonation presents a superior alternative to single ozonation for paraben degradation.
• Optimizing pH conditions can further enhance the efficiency of this water treatment method.