Photosensitized Transformation of Hydrogen Peroxide in Dissolved Organic Matter Solutions under Simulated Solar Irradiation

Hydrogen peroxide plays an important role in photochemical processes in aquatic environments. However, whether it can be transformed by photoexcited chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined the photosensitized degradation of H2O2 in CDOM-enriched solutions under simulated solar irradiation. Our results suggest that the presence of CDOM enhances the photodegradation rate of H2O2 via the photosensitization process and ·OH is generated stoichiometrically with H2O2 attenuation. Experimental results with model photosensitizers indicate that one-electron reducing species of CDOM (CDOM·–), not triplet CDOM, is the primary reactive species that reduces H2O2 to yield ·OH. By monitoring the variation of CDOM·–, the reaction rate constant of CDOM·– with H2O2 was estimated to be 1.5-fold greater than that with O2. Furthermore, a wastewater effluent was exposed to simulated solar irradiation with the addition of H2O2, and the results demonstrated that the photodegradation of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) was significantly enhanced by the increased ·OH level. Overall, the current study provided new insights into the photochemical formation of ·OH via the one-electron reduction of H2O2 by CDOM·–. The solar irradiation of wastewater with H2O2 enhancement could be a useful and economically beneficial advanced oxidation process for TrOC abatement.