Decomposition of aqueous naphthalene-1,5-disulfonic acid by means of oxidation processes

Three different Advanced Oxidation Processes (ozonation at pH 7.5, electron beam irradiation and a combination ozonation/electron beam irradiation) have been applied to study decomposition of aqueous naphthalene-1,5-disulfonic acid (1,5-NDSA) with regard to mineralization and formation of biodegradable intermediates. Formation of biodegradable intermediates could not be indicated for any of the processes used; single electron beam irradiation treatment was the most efficient process for mineralization of organic carbon contained in aqueous 1,5-NDSA. Applied to a real wastewater effluent from a mixed municipal/industrial wastewater, electron beam irradiation with a radiation dose of 2 kGy was sufficient to reduce the concentrations of all naphthalene sulfonic acids and some of the alkylphenol ethoxylates also contained in that water by about 2 orders of magnitude.