Hydrogen peroxide–UV radiation (H2O2/UV)
The direct photolysis of hydrogen peroxide leads to the formation of #OH
radicals [5]:
H2O2 → h 2#OH (17)
Also HO2
– , which is in an acid–base equilibrium with H2O2, absorbs the UV
radiation of the wavelength 254 nm:
H2O2 HO2
– + H+ (18)
HO2
– → h #OH + O#– (19)
H2O2/UV process has been successfully used for the destruction of
chlorophenols [28] and other chlorinated compounds [29, 30]. Bischof et al. [31]
showed that molecules of atrazine, desethylatrazine, and simazine can be
mineralized finally to carbon dioxide within reasonable irradiation times in the
presence of hydrogen peroxide. Sundström et al. [32] investigated the H2O2/UV
process in detail for water disinfection purposes.