The application of co-oxidant in order to enhancement the parabens photo-catalytic degradability

The present study was aimed to investigate the application of co-oxidant (H2O2) in order to enhancement the Butylparaben (BuP) and Benzylparaben (BzP) photo-catalytic degradability. To this purpose, UVC/ZnO (UZ) as a photocatalytic process was employed in the presence of H2O2 as co-oxidant. The experiments were done by UZ process in the presence and the absence of H2O2. The maximum degradation of BuP and BzP by UZ in the absence of H2O2 (under selected condition) was achieved 81% and 67.37%, respectively; whereas enhancement in the degradation performance was observed, when H2O2 was added in the reaction environment. The kinetic studies proved this phenomenon, as values robs for UZH in the degradation of BuP and BzP were 6.04 and 27.31 times than that of the UZ, respectively. The values of energy consumption (EEO) and total cost for UZH and UZ in the removal of BuP were calculated (25 kW h m−3, 2.72 $ m−3) and (150 kW h m−3, 6.35 $ m−3), respectively. Also the values of EEO and total cost for UZH and UZ in the removal of BzP were (25 kW h m−3, 2.72$ m−3) and (206.72 kW h m−3, 7.97 $ m−3), respectively. The mineralization rates of BzP and BuP by UZ and UZH processes were (3% and 33%) and (20% and 37%), respectively.