• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.517-523
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• 2008

The degradation mechanism of Triclosan(TCS), which is a potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent and has been considered as an emerging pollutant, was investigated in the Fenton and the hybrid reaction with Fe$^{2+}$ and UV-C. The results show that the Fe$^{2+}$ is oxidized to 30% by $H_2O_2$, 28% by UV-C, and 15% by UV-A for 10 min. The degradation rate of TCS for beginning time(10 min) was higher in UV-C only reaction than that in hybrid reaction, which of the order was inverted according to the lapse of reaction time. The effect of methanol was the greatest in Fenton reaction, in which the degradation rate of TCS decreased from 90% to 5% by the addition of methanol. Chloride, ionic intermediate, was produced to 77% for 150 min of hybrid reaction(Fe$^{2+}$ + UV-C), which was the greatest. In case with methanol, the generation rate of chloride for 15 min was ignorable in all reactions($\leq$2%) but the hybrid reaction with Fe$^{2+}$ and UV-C(12%). Additionally, the removal rate of TOC in each reaction was estimated as the followed orders; Fe$^{2+}$ + UV-C > Fe$^{2+}$ + $H_2O_2$ > Fe$^{2+}$ + UV-A > UV-C > UV-A. However, the Fenton reaction was almost stopped after 90 min because the reaction between Fe$^{2+}$ and $H_2O_2$ cannot be kept on without adding the oxidant. The phenomena was not observed in the hybrid reaction. In view of generating chloride, the reductive degradation of TCS may be in the hybrid reaction with Fe$^{2+}$ and UV-C, which is favorable to mineralize halogenated organic compounds such as TCS. Consequently, the hybrid process with Fe$^{2+}$ and UV-C may be considered as the alternative treatment method for TCS.