Reaction kinetics of bacteria disinfection employing hydrogen peroxide

The inactivation reaction of Escherichia coli bacteria employing hydrogen peroxide at 20 °C and pH = 7 was studied in a well-mixed batch reactor. The proposed objective, as far as the extent of inactivation is concerned, was obtained for H2O2 concentrations above 100 ppm (1 ppm = 2.94 × 10−5 mmol cm−3) but, compared with other disinfection technologies, for too long reaction times. Below 40 ppm of the oxidant concentration inactivation was practically ineffective. Results were analyzed employing Modified forms of the Series-Event and Multitarget mechanistic models. At concentrations above 100 ppm the induction time in the semi-logarithmic plot of bacteria concentration versus time was reduced. With both modified models it was found that the reaction order with respect to the hydrogen peroxide concentration was different than one. Both mathematical descriptions provide a good representation of the experimental results in an ample range of the disinfectant concentrations and confirm a methodology that renders the starting point of a reaction kinetic expression useful for further studies regarding the optimization of the operating conditions (pH and temperature, for example), including also combination with other advanced oxidation technologies. An interpretation of the data in terms of a Weibull-like model [1] is also included.