A Kinetic Study for the Fenton and Photo-Fenton Paracetamol Degradation in a Pilot Plant Reactor

Abstract

The present study aims at proposing a kinetic model that can capture the complexity and non-linear nature of the Fenton and photo-Fenton processes in the degradation of a model pollutant. Moreover, the proposed model is also able to account for the effect of the Local Volumetric Rate of Photon Absorption (LVRPA), depending on the radiation field within the annular photoreactor and consequently including the reactor dimensions and lamp characteristics. Paracetamol (PCT) was selected as model pollutant, because it is widely used as antipyretic and analgesic. Three kinetic parameters, accounting for the Fenton-like reaction and the hydroxyl radical attack to hydrogen peroxide and paracetamol, were estimated. Mean Square Error (MSE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) were calculated to validate the model reliability.