The sonochemical NO3
– reduction
(2
mM) under Ar at 850 kHz was evaluated at pH 1, 3, and 7, and with
the addition of formic, ethylenediaminetetraacetic, and citric
acids. In all cases, the NO3
– removal
was lower than 15% after 180 min under ultrasound. The low NO3
– transformation was attributed to the rapid
NO2
– reoxidation in the sonochemical
system. In contrast, the ultrasonic NO2
– (2 mM) oxidation under Ar at the same frequency was effective at
pH 3 (with HClO4) after 240 min of reaction. Different
experimental conditions were also tested: under O2 atmosphere,
using HCl as the acidifier, adding t-BuOH as HO• scavenger, KIO4 as an oxidizing agent,
and changing the pH to 1. NO3
– in solution
was the main product in all cases, and all the experimental data for
NO2
– decay could be adjusted to a first-order
kinetics. At pH 1, under Ar, an almost complete NO2
– oxidation took place with an increased rate compared
with the experiment at pH 3. Mechanisms under the different conditions
are discussed.