Radiation-induced decomposition and decoloration of reactive dyes in the presence of H2O2

The dyeing wastewaters represent a large input of hazardous compounds to the environment and these compounds are usually non-biodegradable. In this study, electron beam irradiation-induced decoloration and decomposition of reactive dyes in aqueous solution were investigated. Two different reactive dyes (reactive red KE-3B and reactive blue XBR) solutions were irradiated with electron beam at different doses in the absence and presence of H2O2. The changes of absorption spectra and pH value were described and analyzed as well as the degree of decoloration and COD removal. The influences of absorbed doses, H2O2 additions and initial dye concentrations are discussed. The experimental results show that reactive dyes in aqueous solutions can be effectively degraded by electron beam irradiation, especially in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.