Fenton reaction is a highly effective treatment for degrading phenolic compounds in an aqueous solution. However, during phenol oxidation, the oxidized water takes on a dark brown color associated with increased toxicity. Then, although phenol can be completely removed, if the oxidation process is not carried out properly, the final wastewater will be brown in color and have higher toxicity, two parameters in which legislation imposes restrictions. This paper analyzes the development of the dark color observed in the solution under oxidation treatment and formulates a reaction mechanism to explain the color generation. The experiments were carried out following the batch-wise procedure, but with the solution pH being kept constant throughout the reaction at its optimum value for phenol removal, i.e., pH 3.0. It is checked experimentally that color is formed at the beginning of the reaction in less than five minutes, and follows the kinetic-path of a reaction intermediate. During the first steps of the reaction phenol is degraded to dihydroxylated rings (catechol, resorcinol, and hydroquinone). These aromatic intermediates generate higher colored compounds such as ortho- and parabenzoquinone. On the other hand the dihydroxylated rings can react with their own quinones to generate charge-transfer complexes (quinhydrone), compounds which take on a dark color at low concentrations. Moreover, when iron reacts with hydrogen peroxide, ferric ions are generated that can be coordinated to benzene rings to produce colored metal complexes. The observed color of the solution is not a fortuitous result depending on trace components of low significance, but depends directly on the main reaction intermediates, so it is concluded that observed color depends on the level of oxidation reached. The maximum color observable during oxidation treatment (A(o)) depends only on initial phenol concentration and not on oxidant or catalyst doses.

We compared two H 2 O 2 oxidation methods for the treatment of industrial wastewater: oxidation using Fenton's reagent [H 2 O 2 /Fe(II)] and microwave irradiation. Both methods were applied to the treatment of synthetic phenol solutions (100 mg L −1 ) and of an industrial effluent containing a mixture of ionic and non-ionic surfactants at high load (20 g L −1 of COD). The effects of initial pH, initial H 2 O 2 concentration, Fenton catalyst amount and irradiation time were assessed. According to the oxidation of phenol, it has been found that the oxidation by Fenton's reagent is dependent on the pH, contrary to the microwave system, which is not influenced by this parameter. For both systems, a limiting amount of oxidant has been found; above this point the oxidation of phenol is not improved by a further addition of peroxide. The oxidation of the industrial surfactant effluent has only been successful with the Fenton's reagent. In this case, large amounts of ferrous ions are necessary for the precipitation of the ionic surfactants of the effluent, followed by the oxidation of the non-ionic constituents of the solution.

Synthetic solutions of phenol, o-, m-and p-cresol were oxidised by using Fenton's reagent. The application of substoichiometric dosage of H 2 O 2 led to the formation of intermediate compounds, continuing later the oxidation to complete oxidation. An important objective was to analyze the effect of hydrogen peroxide dosage applied and the reaction pH together with the iron oxidation state on the degradation level. A kinetic model was derived from a reaction mechanism postulated which was used to analyze the results of the experiments. Another aim was to analyze the hydrogen peroxide consumption. Noteworthy results include an increase in oxidant consumption to intensify phenol removal. Furthermore, oxidant consumption was analyzed through the ratio H 2 O 2 to phenol removed and the average specific rate of removal (ASRR). By analyzing these two parameters it has been possible to ascertain the most favorable strategy for an efficient application of H 2 O 2 .

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This paper describes a laboratory study conducted to elucidate the possibility of treating high loaded solutions of surfactants through an Advanced Oxidation Process. Synthetic solutions of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates are treated in this work as this is a model compound commonly used in the formulation of detergents, with a great presence in urban and industrial waste-waters. The application of UV combined with hydrogen peroxide to oxidise a surfactant effluent is shown to be suitable as a primary oxidation step since conversions of around 50% of the original compound are achieved in the most favourable cases. Initially, the influence of the operating variables on the degradation levels is analysed in this work. A kinetic model that takes into account both the contributions of direct photolysis and radical attack is also worked out. Direct photolysis is performed to determine the quantum yield in the single photodecomposition reaction. Additionally, the rate constant of the reaction between hydroxyl radicals and LAS in the oxidising system H2O2/UV is determined for different operational conditions. Finally, the contribution of each oxidation pathway is quantified; a higher contribution of the radical reaction than that of the direct photolysis was found in all cases.