Photochemically enhanced degradation of phenol using heterogeneous Fenton-type catalysts

The degradation of phenol was carried out using heterogeneous Fenton-type catalysts in the presence of H_2O_2 and UV. Catalysts were prepared by exchanging and immobilizing Fe 2+ in zeolite 13X, silica gel or Al_2O_3. The concentration of phenol solution was 100 mg/L. The amount of H_2O_2 added was the stoichiometric amount of H_2O_2 required for the total oxidation of phenol. Under the irradiation of medium pressure light (300 W) phenol was mineralized within 1 h in the presence of Fe 2+/zeolite 13X. The COD removal rate was enhanced in the presence of Fe 2+/zeolite 13X compared to that of Fe 2+/silica gel or Fe 2+/Al_2O_3. Analogous homogenous photo-Fenton reaction with equivalent Fe 2+ was also carried out to evaluate the catalysis efficiency of Fe 2+/zeolite 13X. Results showed that the COD removal rate was near to that of homogeneous Fenton, while heterogeneous Fe 2+/zeolite 13X catalyst could be recycled.