Experimental studies on the use of different advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in water treatment

This project concerns all aspects of degradation of persistant organic pollutants (POPs) in water using advanced oxidation processes. POPs comprises pesticides, pharmaceuticals and other synthetic chemicals or combustion byproducts, and the occurrence of these chemicals and their metabolites and transformation products in the environment is becoming a problem of increasing concern. Their occurrence has been linked to incidences of endocrine-related diseases and adverse physiological effects in wildlife, and there are indications that changes in the reproductive health of humans, including declining male fertility, birth defects and breast and testicular cancer, could be linked to exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) as pharmaceuticals. Although the levels of many of these compounds in wastewater are found in low concentrations it has been shown that additive effects of different compounds cause unforeseen effects on the wildlife. It is for this reason crucial to conduct further research in improving wastewater treatment strategy, since primary route of release of espacially pharmaceuticas into the environment is through discharge of wastewater; from domestic sources, hospitals and in more concentrated form in industrial wastewater from medical manufactures.



For these compounds more powerful physico-chemical treatment processes are needed. These processes are denoted advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and can broadly be defined as aqueous phase oxidation methods intermediated of highly reactive species such as (primarily, but not exclusively) hydroxyl radicals in the mechanisms leading to destruction of the target pollutants [11]. With hydroxyl radicals as the main oxidative agents, a complete mineralization of pollutants to carbon dioxide, water and inorganic compounds can be obtained, or at least a conversion of the organic into highly oxidized more innocuous products. The primary challenges in the use of AOPs are the typically high treatment costs, low capacities and potential formation of unwanded byproducts.