Analytical Methods in Photoelectrochemical Treatment of Phenol

Abstract

The aim of the study was to propose a treatment of simulated wastewater containing phenol by photocatalytic and photolytic processes and analyze the toxicity of these phenolic solutions. Two treatment systems were performed with UV radiation, solid electrodes and electric potential. In the first system (S1) phenol concentration was determined by UV direct spectrophotometry (269 nm) and in the second (S2) by direct photometric method (4-aminoantipyrine). Toxicological tests were carried out using two microorganisms: Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S1 results showed that erroneous conclusions can be drawn by absorbance values increase at phenol peak. Nevertheless, direct photometric method was able to identify phenol reduction in S2 and the proposed treatments degraded phenol in solution. Also, in treatment using high energy ultraviolet radiation (UVC), the phenol degradation was mainly due to the photolytic process.