Removal of AOX, total nitrogen and chlorinated lignin from bleached Kraft mill effluents by UV oxidation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide utilizing TiO2 as photocatalyst

Background, aim, and scope  The pulp and paper industry is the sixth largest polluter discharging a variety of gaseous, liquid, and solid wastes into the environment. Effluents from bleached Kraft mill effluents (BKME) are polluting waters to a great extent These effluents cause considerable damage to the receiving waters if discharged untreated since they have high levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), chlorinated compounds (measured as AOX), suspended solids (mainly fibers), fatty acids, tannins, resin acids, lignin and its derivatives, sulfur and sulfur compounds, etc. This study aimed to remove adsorbed organic halogen (AOX), total nitrogen, and lignin-degrading products in the wastewater (4,500 m³/h) from the paper mill in the pulp and paper industry, which is discharged to sea from a plant located in western Turkey. Materials and methods  The photocatalytic degradation of AOX, total nitrogen, and chlorinated lignin in BKME have been investigated in different parameters, such as time, H₂O₂ and TiO₂ concentration. In addition, for investigating the effect of chlorine on the removal of lignin, pure lignin solution was prepared in equal amounts to chlorinated lignin degradation products found in BKME. The same experiments were conducted for this solution. Experiments were carried out in photocatalytic reactor made of Pyrex glass. The mercury lamp was used as a radiation source. All irradiation was carried out under constant stirring. The existence of dissolved O₂ is an important factor which increases the photocatalytic degradation. Hence, we used an air pump for the aeration of the wastewater solutions. The temperature of the wastewater was controlled and adjusted to 25°C by thermostat pump in conjunction with a cooler. At the end of all experiments, AOX, total nitrogen and lignin concentrations were analyzed according to standard methods. All experiments were performed in duplicate and average values were used. Results and discussion  When the effect of H₂O₂ and time were investigated, it was observed that the AOX concentration increased from 3.0 to 11.0 mg/L by only UV. However, when H₂O₂ was added, AOX concentration decreased from approximately 3.0 to 0.0 mg/L. The optimal conditions for the removal of AOX appear to be an initial H₂O₂ concentration of 20.0 mL/L and reaction time of 50 min. In addition, at the same experiment conditions, it was seen that the total nitrogen concentration decreased from 23.0 to 15.0 mg/L by only UV and by increasing H₂O₂ concentration, the concentration of 20.0 mL/L H₂O₂ appears to be optimal (9.0 mg/L). The AOX, total nitrogen and lignin degradation products and pure lignin go through a minimum when the concentration of H₂O₂ and TiO₂ increases at constant pH and UV intensity. The kinetics for the degradation of AOX, total nitrogen and lignin degradation products followed a pseudo-first order law with respect to the products, and the degradation rates (min⁻¹) for the UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂ system were higher than that of the corresponding values for the UV/H₂O₂ system. Conclusions  The AOX, total nitrogen and lignin concentration go through a minimum when the concentration of H₂O₂ and TiO₂ increases at constant pH and UV intensity. It was found that the UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂ system has proved capable of the degradation of total nitrogen as well as chlorinated and degraded lignin in BKME. Recommendations and perspectives  The photocatalytic process can be considered a suitable alternative for the remove of some compounds from the BKME. Nevertheless, further studies should be carried out to confirm the practical feasibility of BKME. Another result obtained from the study is that pre-purification carried out with UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂ photocatalytic process may constitute an important step for further purification processes such as adsorption, membrane processes, etc.     

Application of Fenton, photo-Fenton, solar photo-Fenton, and UV/H2O2 to degradation of the antineoplastic agent mitoxantrone and toxicological evaluation

In the present study, selected advanced oxidation processes (AOPs)—namely, photo-Fenton (with Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, and potassium ferrioxalate—FeOx—as iron sources), solar photo-Fenton, Fenton, and UV/H₂O₂—were investigated for degradation of the antineoplastic drug mitoxantrone (MTX), frequently used to treat metastatic breast cancer, skin cancer, and acute leukemia. The results showed that photo-Fenton processes employing Fe(III) and FeOx and the UV/H₂O₂ process were most efficient for mineralizing MTX, with 77, 82, and 90 % of total organic carbon removal, respectively. MTX probably forms a complex with Fe(III), as demonstrated by voltammetric and spectrophotometric measurements. Spectrophotometric titrations suggested that the complex has a 2:1 Fe³⁺:MTX stoichiometric ratio and a complexation constant (K) of 1.47 × 10⁴ M^–1, indicating high MTX affinity for Fe³⁺. Complexation partially inhibits the involvement of iron ions and hence the degradation of MTX during photo-Fenton. The UV/H₂O₂ process is usually slower than the photo-Fenton process, but, in this study, the UV/H₂O₂ process proved to be more efficient due to complexing of MTX with Fe(III). The drug exhibited no cytotoxicity against NIH/3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cells when oxidized by UV/H₂O₂ or by UV/H₂O₂/FeOx at the concentrations tested.     

Fenton试剂石灰法处理苎麻脱胶前段混合废水的试验研究

探讨了Fenton试剂石灰法处理苎麻脱胶前段混合废水工艺。试验表明,当FeSO₄₂O、H₂O₂（30％）、饱和石灰乳的投加量分别为3 g/L、2 mL/L和3 mL/L时,COD的去除率50％以上,色度去除率达到90％以上。更重要的是,处理后出水可部分回用于煮炼生产,从而节约生产用碱量,减少废水排放量, 还可提高废水可生化性,为后续生物处理创造条件。     

4种高级氧化法处理高浓度正丙醇废水的动力学比较

研究了1%和10%(V/V)模拟正丙醇废水在UV/TiO2体系、UV/H2O2体系、Fe2+/H2O2体系和UV/TiO2/Fe2+/H2O2体系等4种工艺条件下的降解动力学过程,对比了降解动力学特点及工艺参数对动力学常数的影响,优化工艺参数。结果表明,UV/TiO2体系和Fe2+/H2O2体系的降解过程可分为零级反应阶段和一级反应阶段,转折点分别在反应开始后2 h和氧化剂浓度为6.7 g/L,UV/H2O2体系和UV/TiO2/Fe2+/H2O2体系分别符合零级反应和一级反应规律;相同工艺参数条件下,6 h反应后,组合工艺UV/TiO2/Fe2+/H2O2体系在处理效率达85%,比前3个体系分别高52.0%、8.3%和32.0%,与UV/TiO2体系和Fe2+/H2O2体系的处理效率之和持平,其协同效应提高了速率常数,在目标物浓度降低时依然可维持较高降解速率。而目标物浓度提高10倍后,UV能量利用率提高35.5倍,氧化剂用量是Fe2+/H2O2体系的1/7.1。     

Recent progress on application of UV excilamps for degradation of organic pollutants and microbial inactivation

Excilamps as modern mercury-free sources of narrow-band UV radiation represent an attractive alternative in environmental applications. This review focuses on recent studies on the water and surface decontamination with excilamps by means of direct photolysis and advanced oxidation processes. To date, direct photolysis and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as UV/H₂O₂, UV/Fenton and UV/O₃ have been applied for degradation of organic compounds (mainly, phenols, dyes and herbicides) in model aqueous solutions. Special emphasis is placed on studies combining UV irradiation (as a pre-treatment or post-treatment step) with biological treatment. In this review, the efficiencies of direct UV, UV/H₂O₂ and UV/TiO₂ processes for inactivation of a variety of pathogenic microorganisms in water and on surfaces are discussed. The analysis of the literature shows that more works need to be done on scaling up the processes, degradation/mineralization of target pollutant(s) in real effluents and evaluation of energy requirements.     

Decomposition of phenylarsonic acid by AOP processes: degradation rate constants and by-products

The paper presents results of the studies photodegradation, photooxidation, and oxidation of phenylarsonic acid (PAA) in aquatic solution. The water solutions, which consist of 2.7 g dm^?3 phenylarsonic acid, were subjected to advance oxidation process (AOP) in UV, UV/H₂O₂, UV/O₃, H₂O₂, and O₃ systems under two pH conditions. Kinetic rate constants and half-life of phenylarsonic acid decomposition reaction are presented. The results from the study indicate that at pH 2 and 7, PAA degradation processes takes place in accordance with the pseudo first order kinetic reaction. The highest rate constants (10.45?×?10^?3 and 20.12?×?10^?3) and degradation efficiencies at pH 2 and 7 were obtained at UV/O₃ processes. In solution, after processes, benzene, phenol, acetophenone, o-hydroxybiphenyl, p-hydroxybiphenyl, benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, and biphenyl were identified.     

Fenton氧化法同时脱硫脱硝的实验研究

应用Fenton液相氧化吸收法进行同时脱硫脱硝实验。首先,利用单因素实验,分别考察了H2O2浓度、Fe2+投加量、初始pH值、UV照射和温度对脱硫脱硝的影响。结果表明,SO2和NO去除率随着H2O2浓度和Fe2+投加量的增大而提高;初始pH对SO2和NO的去除有较大影响;UV能促进SO2和NO的净化;温度对脱硫效率影响不大,但对NO的去除有显著作用,适当升温可以提高脱硝效率。随后,考察了SO2对NO去除率的影响。通过单独脱硝和同时脱硫脱硝的对比实验发现,SO2的加入对NO的去除有一定的促进作用,Fenton法可同时获得起始约80%的脱硝效率和98%以上的脱硫效率。     

Study on biodegradation process of lignin by FTIR and DSC

The biodegradation process of lignin by Penicillium simplicissimum was studied to reveal the lignin biodegradation mechanisms. The biodegradation products of lignin were detected using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–Vis spectrophotometer, different scanning calorimeter (DSC), and stereoscopic microscope. The analysis of FTIR spectrum showed the cleavage of various ether linkages (1,365 and 1,110 cm^?1), oxidation, and demethylation (2,847 cm^?1) by comparing the different peak values in the corresponding curve of each sample. Moreover, the differences (T_m and ΔH_m values) between the DSC curves indirectly verified the FTIR analysis of biodegradation process. In addition, the effects of adding hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to lignin biodegradation process were analyzed, which indicated that H₂O₂ could accelerate the secretion of the MnP and LiP and improve the enzymes activity. What is more, lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase catalyzed the lignin degradation effectively only when H₂O₂ was presented.     

沸石负载Fe_3O_4光催化氧化去除水中苯酚

为了对水中苯酚的去除进行研究,通过离子交换法及液相沉积法在天然沸石上负载Fe3O4制备出一种具有较高反应活性的复合催化剂,采用X-射线衍射仪(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)等仪器对其结构和形貌进行表征,并利用复合催化剂进行非均相UV/Fenton反应处理模拟苯酚废水,考察不同因素对苯酚降解效果的影响。实验结果表明,在催化剂投加量为0.4 g/L,H2O2投加量为二分之一理论投加量,pH为3~10且室温的条件下,处理100 mg/L的模拟苯酚废水,60 min之内苯酚去除率可达90%以上。通过对催化剂的稳定性研究,发现经5次循环使用后,苯酚去除率均可保持在90%以上,具有良好的循环使用性能。     

Performance evaluation of the UV/H2O2 process on selected nitrogenous organic compounds: reductions of organic contents vs. corresponding C-, N-DBPs formations

The presence of various organic contaminants in water sources is of concern due to their direct threats to human health and potential to react with disinfectants to form carcinogenic byproducts including trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids and nitrosamines in finished water. This study applied both medium-pressure and low-pressure ultraviolet light coupled with hydrogen peroxide (UV/H₂O₂) to evaluate its efficacy for degradation of selected nitrogenous organic compounds and corresponding disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation. Six organic compounds were chosen as target precursors based on their nitrogen contents and molecular structures. The results showed that higher oxidation capacity resulted in better reduction of organic matters and DBP formation potentials (DBPFPs). However, insufficient contact time and oxidant doses could lead to a rise of DBPFPs in the early stages of UV/H₂O₂ reactions. A greater percentage removal was achieved for organic carbon than organic nitrogen after UV/H₂O₂ treatment, especially for compounds with complicated structure such as diltiazem. During the UV/H₂O₂ treatment, the intermediate products include tertiary amine, dimethyl amine (DMA) or DMA-like structures, which are N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors after chlorination or chloramination. Furthermore, it was observed that using dissolved organic nitrogen and DMA to predict NDMAFP could lead to biased conclusions because of the complex nature of nitrogenous matters in aqueous environments.     

Fenton法处理垃圾渗滤液MBR-NF浓缩液

采用Fenton法处理MBR-NF浓缩液,考察了FeSO4·7H2O投加量、n(H2O2)/n(Fe2+)投加比、初始pH对渗滤液MBR-NF浓缩液处理效果的影响,并在最佳实验条件下,探讨浓缩液富里酸(FA)、亲水性有机物(HyI)组分在Fenton氧化前后组成的变化。研究结果表明,在FeSO4·7H2O投加量为0.055 mol/L、n(H2O2)/n(Fe2+)投加比为4、初始pH为7.58时,对COD、腐植酸(UV254)、色度(CN)的去除率分别为79.6%、93.7%和97.8%。Fenton氧化后,浓缩液中有机物组分含量发生了较大变化,腐植酸含量下降,HyI成为渗滤液溶解性有机物主要成分。紫外-可见光谱表明,Fenton法对FA去除效果较好,而对HyI氧化效果较差;傅立叶红外光谱显示,经Fenton氧化后,FA的结构发生了明显变化,而HyI则变化不明显。     

Degradation of ethylenethiourea pesticide metabolite from water by photocatalytic processes

In this study, photocatalytic (photo-Fenton and H₂O₂/UV) and dark Fenton processes were used to remove ethylenethiourea (ETU) from water. The experiments were conducted in a photo-reactor with an 80 W mercury vapor lamp. The mineralization of ETU was determined by total organic carbon analysis, and ETU degradation was qualitatively monitored by the reduction of UV absorbance at 232 nm. A higher mineralization efficiency was obtained by using the photo-peroxidation process (UV/H₂O₂). Approximately 77% of ETU was mineralized within 120 min of the reaction using [H₂O₂]₀ = 400 mg L^?1. The photo-Fenton process mineralized 70% of the ETU with [H₂O₂]₀ = 800 mg L^?1 and [Fe²⁺] = 400 mg L^?1, and there is evidence that hydrogen peroxide was the limiting reagent in the reaction because it was rapidly consumed. Moreover, increasing the concentration of H₂O₂ from 800 mg L^?1 to 1200 mg L^?1 did not enhance the degradation of ETU. Kinetics studies revealed that the pseudo-second-order model best fit the experimental conditions. The k values for the UV/H₂O₂ and photo-Fenton processes were determined to be 6.2 × 10^?4 mg L^?1 min^?1 and 7.7 × 10^?4 mg L^?1 min^?1, respectively. The mineralization of ETU in the absence of hydrogen peroxide has led to the conclusion that ETU transformation products are susceptible to photolysis by UV light. These are promising results for further research. The processes that were investigated can be used to remove pesticide metabolites from drinking water sources and wastewater in developing countries.     

电-Fenton法预处理干法腈纶生产废水

以Ti金属网为阴极,Ti基RuO2涂层形稳电极为阳极,采用外加H2O2和Fe2+的方式,研究了电-Fenton氧化预处理干法腈纶生产废水的工艺,考察了H2O2投加量、Fe2+投加量、pH值和电流强度等因素对污染物降解过程的影响,分析了废水可生化性和污染物变化规律。结果表明,电-Fenton法可以有效降解废水中有机污染物,使废水COD迅速降低,在初始pH值为3.0,Fe2+投加量为5.0 mmol/L,H2O2投加量为60.0 mmol/L,电流强度0.2 A的条件下,反应120 min后COD去除率可以达到44.0%以上;反应过程中H2O2的投加方式对电-Fenton法的处理效果具有明显影响,H2O2分6次投加可以使COD去除率由一次性投加时的44.8%提高至54.1%;处理后废水的BOD5/COD由0.29升高至0.68;GC-MS结果表明,经电-Fenton法预处理后,废水中多数芳香族化合物和特征污染物能被有效降解。     

Photooxidative removal of the herbicide Acid Blue 9 in the presence of hydrogen peroxide: modeling of the reaction for evaluation of electrical energy per order (EEO)

The present work deals with photooxidative removal of the herbicide, Acid Blue 9 (AB9), in water in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) under UV light illumination (30 W). The influence of the basic operational parameters such as amount of H₂O₂, irradiation time and initial concentration of AB9 on the photodegradation efficiency of the herbicide was investigated. The degradation rate of AB9 was not appreciably high when the photolysis was carried out in the absence of H₂O₂ and it was negligible in the absence of UV light. The photooxidative removal of the herbicide was found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetic, and hence the figure-of-merit electrical energy per order (E_Eo) was considered appropriate for estimating the electrical energy efficiency. A mathematical relation between the apparent reaction rate constant and H₂O₂ used was applied for prediction of the electricity consumption in the photooxidative removal of AB9. The results indicated that this kinetic model, based on the initial rates of degradation, provided good prediction of the E_Eo values for a variety of conditions. The results also indicated that the UV/H₂O₂ process was appropriate as the effective treatment method for removal of AB9 from the contaminated wastewater.     

Treatment of coking wastewater by an advanced Fenton oxidation process using iron powder and hydrogen peroxide

In this study the treatment of coking wastewater was investigated by an advanced Fenton oxidation process using iron powder and hydrogen peroxide. Particular attention was paid to the effect of initial pH, dosage of H₂O₂ and to improvement in biodegradation. The results showed that higher COD and total phenol removal rates were achieved with a decrease in initial pH and an increase in H₂O₂ dosage. At an initial pH of less than 6.5 and H₂O₂ concentration of 0.3 M, COD removal reached 44-50% and approximately 95% of total phenol removal was achieved at a reaction time of 1 h. The oxygen uptake rate of the effluent measured at a reaction time of 1 h increased by approximately 65% compared to that of the raw coking wastewater. This indicated that biodegradation of the coking wastewater was significantly improved. Several organic compounds, including bifuran, quinoline, resorcinol and benzofuranol were removed completely as determined by GC-MS analysis. The advanced Fenton oxidation process is an effective pretreatment method for the removal of organic pollutants from coking wastewater. This process increases biodegradation, and may be combined with a classical biological process to achieve effluent of high quality.     

混凝+芬顿法对中晚期垃圾渗滤液色度去除

垃圾渗滤液经一般生化处理后色度很大。对混凝和芬顿法结合深度处理垃圾渗滤液对色度去除进行了研究。混凝段通过中心复合设计(简称CCD)和响应面方法(简称RSM)分析了混凝的色度去除率的响应特征,建立了实际因素的最终方程模型:Y(色度去除率,%)=-553.40+73.74A+229.06B+0.38AB-34.16A2-22.67B2,(Y、A、B分别代表色度去除率、投加量和pH)并对絮凝条件进行优化,得到混凝反应的最佳优化条件:投加量1.11 g/L,pH 5.06,及在此条件下的去除率67.2%。在芬顿段,将芬顿反应对水中亲水性有机物相对含量(UV254)与对色度的去除特征相结合进行了研究,证明色度的去除跟该类有机物的去除有关,色度去除率最优值条件选择为H2O2/COD=1.0,Fe2+/H2O2=0.35∶1,而初始pH=2.5时对色度的去除达到99%以上。整个工艺出水可达到达标排放标(GB16889-2008)。     

Deodorization of pig manure using lignin peroxidase with different electron acceptors

Odor pollution is a big environmental problem caused by large-scale livestock production in China, and developing a practical way to reduce these odors is pressing. In this study, a combination of 0.2–1.0 U/mL lignin peroxidase (LiP) and one of three peroxides (H₂O₂, CaO₂, 2Na₃CO₃·3H₂O₂) was examined for its efficiency in reducing the release of eight chemicals (propionic acid, isobutyric acid, isocaproic acid, isovaleric acid, phenol, p-cresol, indole, and skatole), NH₃, H₂S, and odor intensity from pig manure. The results showed an approximately 90% reduction in p-cresol, 40–60% reduction in odor intensity, 16.5–40% reduction in indolic compounds, and 25–40% reduction in volatile fatty acids. Being the electron acceptors of LiP, 2Na₃CO₃·3H₂O₂ and CaO₂ performed better than H₂O₂ in reducing the concentration of eight chemicals, NH_3, H₂S, and odor intensity from pig manure. The effect of deodorization can last for up to 72 hr.

Implications: In China, one of the major environmental problems caused by confined feeding is odor pollution, which brings a major threat to the sustainability, profitability, and growth of the livestock industry. To couple the LiP with the electron acceptors, a low–cost, simple, and feasible method for odor removal was established in this study. Based on the study results, a practical treatment method was provided for odor pollution and supply the farm operators a more flexible time to dispose treated manure.     

Stability of 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate in advanced oxidation processes: degradation kinetics and pathway

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a widely used mist suppressant in hard chrome electroplating industry, has been listed in the Stockholm Convention for global ban. 6:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) acid and salts have been adopted as alternative products in the market, but no data about their abiotic degradation has been reported. In the present study, the degradability of 6:2 FTS potassium salt (6:2 FTS-K) was evaluated under various advanced oxidation processes, including ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, UV with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), alkaline ozonation (O₃, pH = 11), peroxone (O₃/H₂O₂), and Fenton reagent oxidation (Fe²⁺/H₂O₂). UV/H₂O₂ was found to be the most effective approach, where the degradation of 6:2 FTS-K followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. The intermediates were mainly shorter chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (C₇ to C₂), while sulfate (SO₄ ^2?) and fluoride (F^?) were found to be the final products. The high yields of SO₄ ^2? and F^? indicate that 6:2 FTS-K can be nearly completely desulfonated and defluorinated under UV/H₂O₂ condition. The degradation should firstly begin with the substitution of hydrogen atom by hydroxyl radicals, followed by desulfonation, carboxylation, and sequential “flake off” of CF₂ unit. Compared with PFOS which is inert in most advanced oxidation processes, 6:2 FTS-K is more degradable as the alternative.     

Effectiveness evaluation of glyphosate oxidation employing the H2O2/UVC process: Toxicity assays with Vibrio fischeri and Rhinella arenarum tadpoles

The H₂O₂/UVC process was applied to the photodegradation of a commercial formulation of glyphosate in water. Two organisms (Vibrio fischeri bacteria and Rhinella arenarum tadpoles) were used to investigate the toxicity of glyphosate in samples M_1, M₂, and M₃ following different photodegradation reaction times (120, 240 and 360 min, respectively) that had differing amounts of residual H₂O₂. Subsamples of M₁, M₂, and M₃ were then used to create samples M_1,E, M_2,E and M_3,E in which the H₂O₂ had been removed. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities were measured in tadpoles to determine possible sub-lethal effects. In V. fischeri, M_1,E, which was collected early in the photodegradation process, caused 52% inhibition, while M_3,E, which was collected at the end of the photodegradation process, caused only 17% inhibition. Survival of tadpoles was 100% in samples M₂, M₃, and in M_1,E, M_2,E and M_3,E. The lowest percentages of enzymatic inhibition were observed in samples without removal of H₂O₂: 13.96% (AChE) and 16% (BChE) for M₂, and 24.12% (AChE) and 13.83% (BChE) for M₃. These results show the efficiency of the H₂O₂/UVC process in reducing the toxicity of water or wastewater polluted by commercial formulations of glyphosate. According to the ecotoxicity assays, the conditions corresponding to M₂ (11 ± 1 mg a.e. L^?1 glyphosate and 11 ± 1 mg L^?1 H₂O₂) could be used as a final point for glyphosate treatment with the H₂O₂/UV process.     

Improving the Fenton process by visible LED irradiation

The effect of irradiation with visible light-emitting diode (LED) light on the efficiency of Fenton oxidation is investigated using phenol as the target compound (100 mg/L). The H₂O₂ dose and temperature are tested as operating variables with the aim of minimizing consumption of the reagents. At 50 °C, 10 mg/L Fe²⁺, and 60 % of the stoichiometric H₂O₂ amount, phenol was completely oxidized into CO₂, H₂O, and short chain organic acids, with oxalic acid completely degraded. Up to 95 % mineralization was achieved. This high efficiency can be attributed to the effect of LED radiation on the quinones/Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺/H₂O₂ cycle, which significantly increases the reaction rate, as well as on the photodecomposition of the iron complexes formed along the oxidation process, which also enhanced mineralization.