Advanced oxidation process by electron-beam-irradiation-induced decomposition of pollutants in industrial effluents

Electron-beam irradiation considered on advanced oxidation process induces the decomposition of pollutants in industrial effluent. Experiments were conducted using a radiation dynamics electron beam accelerator with 1.5 MeV energy and 37 kW power. The effluent samples from an industrial complex were irradiated using the IPEN's liquid effluent irradiation pilot plant. The experiments were conducted using one sample from each of eight separate industrial units and five samples of a mixture of these units. The physical-chemical characterization of these samples is presented. The electron beam irradiation was efficient in destroying the organic compounds delivered in these effluents, mainly, chloroform, dichloroethane, methyl isobutyl ketone, toluene, xylene and phenol. The necessary dose to remove 90% of the most organic compounds from industry effluent was 20 kGy. The removal of organic compounds from this complex mixture was explained by the destruction G value (Gd) that was obtained for those compounds with different initial concentrations and was compared with literature. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.