| NUKLEONIKA 2011, 56(4):349-355
ELECTRON BEAM DECOMPOSITION OF POLLUTANT MODEL COMPOUNDS IN AQUEOUS SYSTEMSTeo-Ming Ting, Khairul Z. M. Dahlan Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia), Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia In this study, factors that limit the utilization of electron beam irradiation for decomposition of pollutants were investigated. Potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) was used as the model pollutant compound. The accumulated chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal below 2.4 kGy (applied for concentration at 85, 170, 255, 425 and 850 mg/l) was less than 10%, whereas the accumulated COD removal at 215 kGy (applied for concentration at 85, 170, 255, 425 and 850 mg/l) was 198%. At a lower concentration of KHP, 85 mg/l, the accumulated COD removal (for dose ranging from 0.5 to 215 kGy) was 236%. As the concentration of KHP increases to 850 mg/l, almost no COD removal was recorded (for dose ranging from 0.5 to 215 kGy). The results show that the removal efficiency and effectiveness of pollutants were influenced by the solute concentration and irradiation dose. When the concentration of KHP increases to a certain level, water radical species were not sufficient to form KHP radicals and, therefore, reduce the decomposition of KHP molecules. Removal of phthalate as measured by COD was restricted at a very high concentration, 850 mg/l. This indicates that the by-products have scavenged the radicals rapidly. This also suggests that, the limitation of radiolytic products of water to decompose KHP at higher concentration. A large quantity of KHP molecules would also stabilize the KHP radicals and resulting in lower removal of KHP. Similar removal trend was also observed for the actual industrial wastewater. Close X |