Abstract
The sonochemistry for the degradation of alkylphenols, such as butylphenol, pentylphenol, octylphenol, and nonylphenol, in water was investigated at a sound frequency of 200 kHz with an acoustic intensity of 6 W cm^<-2> under argon, oxygen, and air atmospheres. The maximum pseudo first-order rate constant (0.1699 ± 0.0050 min^<-1>) was observed during the sonication of butylphenol under argon. The sonolytic degradation rate of the alkylphenols under the conditions of the present study depended upon their alkyl chain length. In the presence of Fe(II) and Fe(III), the degradation rate and mineralization of nonylphenol during sonication were faster with oxygen than with argon or air. The maximum pseudo first-order rate constants for the nonlyphenol degradation were observed at 50 μM Fe(II) (0.1393 ± 0.0083 min^<-1>) and 100 μM Fe(III) (0.1031 ± 0.0010 min^<-1>) under oxygen. The total organic carbon concentration decreased by about 60% and 70% for Fe(II) and Fe(III) during the sonication under oxygen, respectively. The enhancement of the sonochemical effects by the addition of Fe(II) and Fe(IH) during the sonication under the proper atmosphere results in a remarkable enhancement of degradation and mineralization.
