Pilot-plant study for the photochemical treatment of aqueous linear alkylbenzene sulfonate

The photochemical degradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) by using a cylindrical pilot-plant photoreactor was studied. LAS with the initial concentration of 100 mg/L was degraded in the presence of ultraviolet light alone with the wavelength of 254 nm and the combination of ultraviolet light with the wavelength of 254 nm along with hydrogen peroxide (UV-254/H2O2). The photochemical degradation of LAS by UV-254 was effectively enhanced by the addition of 720 mg/L H2O2 (optimum loading) to the system. In addition, it was shown that the pilot-plant photochemical reactor is not mass transfer limited and it was appropriate to degrade large amount of aqueous pollutants by UV-254/H2O2 processes.