Photo Assisted Fenton in a Batch and a Membrane Reactor for Degradation of Drugs in Water

Some advanced oxidation processes (AOP’s) such as Fenton H2O2/Fe2þ,photo assisted Fenton UV/H2O2/Fe2þ, UV photolysis, and photo assisted Fenton—like UV/O2/Fe2þ have been tested for the degradation of Gemfibrozil in aqueoussolution in a batch system and then in a membrane reactor. A nanofiltration/reverseosmosis type cross-linked polyamide, UTC-60 (Toray) membrane (19 cm2) was used.In the batch degradation tests, the gemfibrozil, used at 5 mg/L, was degraded byemploying the four AOP’s but numerous peaks of intermediates were observed at theHPLC. Indeed DOC analyses showed poor mineralization in the case of photolysis(3.1%) and UV/O2/Fe (10%), while it was 62% using the photo assisted Fenton and24% using the Fenton. Thus in the membrane reactor only the Fenton and the photoassisted Fenton were tested. Obtained results showed a drug degradation higher than92%, a mineralization higher than 55%, and a membrane retention of the catalyst insolution higher than 95%.