Decomposition of 1,4-dioxane by vacuum ultraviolet irradiation: Study of economic feasibility and by-product formation

We report the first use of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) treatment to decompose 1,4-dioxane, a persistent organic contaminant that is difficult to remove by conventional drinking water treatment processes. The efficiency of VUV treatment was compared to that of VUV- and UV-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) (VUV/TiO2, VUV/H2O2, UV/TiO2, and UV/H2O2), and by-product formation was investigated. VUV treatment decomposed 1,4-dioxane more rapidly than did UV and UV/TiO2 treatments. The decomposition rate was enhanced when VUV irradiation was combined with TiO2 or H2O2. VUV/H2O2 decomposed 1,4-dioxane more rapidly than UV/H2O2 at a low H2O2 dose (1 mg/L), but the rate difference became small at a high H2O2 dose (5 mg/L). Electrical energy per order analysis revealed that VUV treatment, and the VUV- and UV-based AOPs, were economically feasible for 1,4-dioxane decomposition. Using raw water samples, we investigated by-product formation during VUV treatment and the effect of VUV irradiation on chlorinated disinfection by-product formation potential. Although the samples contained high concentrations of bromide, no bromate was produced by VUV treatment. VUV treatment slightly decreased trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP), whereas haloacetic acid formation potential (HAAFP) was unchanged, and total aldehyde concentration increased. The trend in HAAFP agreed with that had been reported for the VUV irradiation with much higher dose (Buchanan et al., 2006), whereas the trend in THMFP was different from that with much higher dose. THMFP, HAAFP, and aldehyde concentration were reduced by subsequent treatment with granular activated carbon (GAC) or biological activated carbon (BAC). Nitrite was produced by VUV treatment but disappeared after subsequent BAC treatment. These results suggest that VUV treatment should be combined with GAC or BAC treatment to suppress by-product formation.