Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water: Alternative treatments to conventional processes.
Author/s
Rubio Clemente, AinhoaDate
2018Discipline/s
Ingeniería, Industria y ConstrucciónSubject/s
Contaminación del AguaCinética Química
Energía Solar
Abstract
Nowadays, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of chemical substances that deserves a great attention. PAHs consist of two or more condensed benzene rings, bonded in linear, cluster or angular arrangements that are ubiquitous in the environment. Due to their low solubility and high affinity for particulate matter, PAHs are found in water in extreme low concentrations, in the range of ng L-1 or µg L-1. However, even at these ultra-trace or trace levels, they exhibit harmful effects on living beings and humans, especially when present as mixtures. That is the case of anthracene (AN), which has been reported as an acute phototoxic compound, and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), which is a carcinogenic and mutagenic pollutant. Therefore, their presence in the environment and, specifically in aquatic resources must be monitored. For this purpose, the chromatographic behavior of AN and BaP was studied, and three models were found describing the identification of AN and BaP, the quantifica...