REMOVAL OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM WATER BY SONOCHEMICAL PROCESSES

Mihaela Iordache¹, Ioan Iordache^2*, Luisa Roxana Popescu¹, Adriana Marinoiu²

¹National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology – INCD-ECOIND Bucharest-Subsidiary Ramnicu Valcea, 1 Uzinei Street, Ramnicu Valcea 240050, Romania

²National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies - ICSI Rm. Valcea, Uzinei Street no. 4, PO Box Râureni 7, 240050, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania

ABSTRACT

The paper describes the wastewater micro-pollutant removal by sonochemical processes. The work discloses the sonochemical degradation of the next organochlorine compounds: 1, 2 Dichloro-propane, 1, 2 Dichloroethane, and 1,1,2,2 Tetrachloroethane from aqueous solutions. The experiments were realized with two types of equipment: ultrasound bath UCD-150 and sonotrode UP 200 Ht.

The experimental results showed high efficient removal for all three compounds: 1,1,2,2 Tetrachloroethane 88.8 %, 1, 2 Dichloropropane 86.6 % and 1, 2 Dichloroethane 80.0 % in bath ultrasound treatment after 50 minute. The degradation of 1, 2 Dichloropropane, 1, 2 Dichloroethane, 1,1,2,2 Tetrachloroethane was much better for sonotrode with 14 mm diameter (81.0 %, 74.0 % respectively 67.5 %) than for sonotrode with 40 mm diameter (76.0 %, 63.0 % and 62.8 %). This difference between the two probes regarding removal efficiency can be explained by different amplitudes of equipment.

Keywords: chlorinated organic compounds, ultrasonic irradiation, sonochemical processes.